Marty’s Story

One morning as I was taking a shower I felt a knot on my back. That afternoon, I was told that there was a tumor on my 9th rib.

I never had any pain or discomfort. One morning as I was taking a shower I felt a knot on my back.  I immediately called my family doctor and he suggested I have a CAT scan. That afternoon, I was told that there was a tumor on my 9th rib. At first the doctors here thought it was benign after needle biopsies. Then, during an aborted surgery, the surgeon knew it was something much different, took a larger biopsy, sent it to Mayo, and closed me back up.

Mayo returned the verdict, osteosarcoma, and within two weeks I was on my way to M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, where Dr. Wayne L. Hofstetter, a wonderful thoracic surgeon, removed the tumor and two ribs (8th and 9th) on the left side of my body. Dr. Raymond, a pathologist at M. D. Anderson upon receiving Mayo’s diagnosis, questioned if the tumor might not be a periosteal osteosarcoma as a result of the grade. He was correct. Once removed it was determined that it was periosteal osteosarcoma and it had invaded the bone marrow for 7mm. Read more

James’ Story

I suffered a pathological fracture to the left distal humerus in April of 2008, with no prior signs or symptoms. Diagnosis was confirmed by the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology as a De-Differentiated Chondrosarcoma. I was 42 years old at the time, with an excellent medical history, both individually and familial, (parents/grandparents all 95 plus) with no history of cancer in the family. I took no medications, and was extremely active riding BMX bikes, and exploring underwater caves around the world. My world changed at that point, and this became my project. Other than the progression of my cancer, I still enjoy excellent health, and take no medications.

In June of 2008, the tumor was resected, my arm salvaged and rebuilt, and I have a good functional result from that. I underwent a humeral implant w/ a total elbow Arthroplasty. The hand works great; the shoulder works great, although I have significant reduced ROM in the elbow joint. Being that no good treatment exists for this very rare cancer, I still underwent 4 rounds of chemo (Ifosfomide/etopicide a Ewings Sarcoma treatment), and 35 treatments of radiation to the tumor bed. Read more

Cari’s Story

Osteosarcoma at the Proximal Tibia
Age at Diagnosis: 28
Year of Diagnosis: 2003
Location: California
Surgeon: Dr. Phil Wirganowicz, Oakland, CA

I actually knew I had a tumor in my leg, because when I was 12, I cracked it while I was running. The specialist at that time said that it was benign and not to worry about it, because something that is benign would not turn malignant; so life went on. In January of 2003, my shin and knee were extremely swollen and I began to have daily pain that would even wake me up at night, but being the stubborn person that I am, I didn’t actually go into the doctor and complain until June 2003. Eventually I was referred to a specialist who (in August) said the best thing to do was a biopsy so we know what we were dealing with. A week after the biopsy I was told it was Osteosarcoma. I was actually told on a Friday and by Monday I had an Oncologist, was in the hospital on Wednesday having a catheter placed in my chest and was to report on Monday morning for my first round of chemotherapy. The first day of chemo was September 19, 2004. WOW what a week! The initial tests done were an MRI, CT scan, Bone Scan and many different X-Rays. It all happened so fast – I actually don’t know how I handled it. Read more

Brian’s Story

Periosteal osteosarcoma at the proximal femur with recurrence and lung mets
Date of Diagnosis: February 2004
Age at Diagnosis: 24
Location: Illinois

Diagnosis: I began having shooting pains in the fall of 2002 in my right femur while I was attending college full-time at the University of Kansas. I was an active 22 year old at the time and had no reason to suspect that there was anything wrong. I loved to run, was always pretty active and never felt any physical limitations growing up as a kid.

After steady pain, I decided to make a visit to my general physician and see if he could provide any insight into the pain. He said he thought that I might have a “baker’s cist” behind the knee and an MRI would tell us if that was the case. Read more

Carol’s Story

Osteosarcoma at the distal femur
Age at Diagnosis: 13
Date of Diagnosis: 1967
Location: Minnesota

Diagnosis: I remember my girlfriend and I were practicing cheer-leading routines as we were about to enter 7th grade and we wanted to be cheerleaders. All of a sudden I hit my knee on my bicycle bar and from that point on, the pain would grow each day. Finally my mom sent me to a chiropractor and he told my mom to get me to an oncologist. The oncologist told my mom that I most likely had osteogenic sarcoma and he recommended that she take me home to die. My family doctor, who was bull headed and stubborn, made arrangements for me to get treatment at St. Mary’s hospital in Rochester MN. Read more

Karen’s Story

Parosteal Osteosarcoma at the Proximal Tibia
With lung mets
Age at Diagnosis: 45
Year of Diagnosis: 2004
Location: Georgia
Surgeon: Dr. David Monson in Atlanta

Diagnosis: In December of 2003, at the age of 44, I went to the doctor to have my cholesterol checked. In an attempt to get my money’s worth for the office visit, I casually mentioned to the doctor that I had a pain in my leg on and off over the prior two years. He sent me for an x-ray that afternoon and that was the beginning of my osteosarcoma adventure! Read more

Elizabeth’s Story

Dedifferentiated Chondrosarcoma (IIB) at the Pelvis
With lung mets
Age at Diagnosis: 22
Year of Diagnosis: 1967
Location: California

Diagnosis: I first saw a doctor at age 16 for lower belly pain. X-rays showed a lesion then but it was mistaken for an old fracture. I was treated for “constipation” and sent home. I ignored the pain problems until I had my first child. During labor the doctor determined that I had tumor in the way of the birth canal and delivered Caesarian Section. It was believed the tumor was benign. I didn’t know to question this until a couple years later when I could feel tumor growing outward. An orthopedic surgeon removed it without sufficient margins, believing it to be benign. Two and a half years later it had grown so large that it interfered with walking, and standing for any length of time. Deep aching pain awoke me at night. I saw a local orthopedic doctor who took an x-ray and told me I was just overweight. But, what I saw on the x-ray looked like a big cauliflower, so I went for a second opinion to another orthopedic surgeon in town, who immediately referred me to an orthopedic oncologist at the University Hospital in the nearest big city. I didn’t want to go that far until this doctor warned me that this was “serious”, and I “Must” go see this other doctor. I still, at that time did not understand that it was anything more than the hereditary bone bumps I was born with. Read more

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