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

Jeanne’s Story

Chondrosarcoma at the Proximal Tibia
Age at Diagnosis: 44
Year of Diagnosis: 1997

Diagnosis: In the fall of ‘96 I was in my junior year at a local university and uninsured. Walking the campus, I felt sharp pain in my right leg. I thought that I had pulled a muscle. . .I thought that it was arthritis or that old age was catching up with me! It bothers me that when I try to “silly dance” with my year-old granddaughter, it hurts my leg to pick her up! It hurts my leg to stomp and jump! This pain continues on and off, then more on then off…then always on! I attempted to treat the pain with over-the-counter medicines. I tried to ignore the pain. But when it seemed so deep inside of me, it was all I could do to be civil. The following spring, my employer offered health insurance. I signed up. When it became effective in May, I went to our family physician. When his prescribed regimen of cortisone did not restore me 100%, He took x-rays, but didn’t see the tumor. I urgently requested to see a specialist. He sent to a sports medicine doctor. He, too, had x-rays taken. When he saw the large tumor, he thought it might be a benign giant cell tumor. He referred me to an oncologist who specializes in bone cancers. Read more

Susan’s Story

Ewing’s sarcoma at the tibia
Age at Diagnosis: 19
Date of Diagnosis: October 2003
Location: Utah
Hospital: Primary Children’s

Diagnosis: I first went to see a doctor because of a slight raised bump on my tibia. I had noticed it before but I thought it was just the shape of my leg. It later started to grow and increase in size so I immediately went to see an orthopedic surgeon who removed the lump. It turned out the lump was Ewing’s sarcoma and I was in for over a year of treatment.

Treatment: I had 2 surgeries on my leg and a year of chemo. I received the chemotherapy about every 3 weeks for a year. The surgeries were not bad for me, I was able to heal after a few weeks and move around. The chemo was the worst part, I had inpatient chemo done for three days and alternated that with a weeklong session. I think that inpatient chemo is normal for this type of cancer. Because I was 19 at the time of my treatment I was treated at a children’s hospital. For the most part all of the doctors and nurses were wonderful and really took good care of me. I had a ton of blood transfusions and was so scared to get these but after a while I was actually happy to be getting one, they made me feel much better. Read more

Nick’s Story

Osteosarcoma at the Tibia with Lung Mets
Age at Diagnosis: 14
Date of Diagnosis: 1986
Location: United Kingdom

Diagnosis: My story starts in the autumn of 1986 when I was 13. I was a very active sportsman playing football for both school and local teams and was also undertaking trials for S*bleep*horpe United junior teams. I was always getting knocks and bruises that usually healed very quickly. However this time I noticed that one particular injury had left a permanent lump on my right knee. I went to the doctors with my mum but was told that this was just a fluid build up as a reaction to the injury; I was given diuretics to remove the swelling. However by the Christmas of 1986 the lump had grown massively in size and walking more than 500 yards was becoming a problem. Read more

Tami’s Story

Ewing’s Sarcoma at the Proximal Tibia
Age at Diagnosis: 40
Year of Diagnosis: 2003

Diagnosis: I was misdiagnosed for two years. The doctor said I had gout and treated me with anti-inflammatory meds. Then one of the times that it flared up and the knot stayed there, then I was concerned. I finally went to an orthopaedic doctor and he did x-rays and a MRI and he found something they were very concerned with and sent me to Tulane Hospital in New Orleans to see an orthopaedic oncologist and then found out I had Ewing’s sarcoma at the tibia. Then the rollercoaster ride began. It was so scary, I just knew I wasn’t going to make it through this bad time but my family and friends and mostly my boyfriend helped me and encouraged me through the whole ordeal.

Treatment: I was on a protocol and had 6 rounds of chemo, then I had surgery on my knee, it was replaced with a metal kneecap and some of my tibia was replaced with a cadaver bone. About 6 weeks after surgery, I started my chemo again and had 8 rounds, my last treatment was Nov. 28, 2003 and I’ve been in remission since then. No meds except my anti-depressant. Doing very well. Read more

Matt’s Story

Osteosarcoma at the tibia with lung mets
Age at Diagnosis: 17
Date of Diagnosis: 1988
Location: Ohio
Hospital: Harper Hospital in Detroit

Diagnosis: My diagnosis first came in October of 1988. I was a senior in high school, and developed a rather large lump on my left tibia just below my knee. After my family physician took several x-rays, he referred me to an orthopedic oncologist in Detroit. The presence of osteosarcoma was suspected, and a biopsy soon after confirmed the findings. Everything happened so fast right after the diagnosis, that I really didn’t have much time to take it all in. Read more

Ken’s Story

Osteosarcoma at the Proximal Tibia
Age at Diagnosis: 16
Year of Diagnosis: 1988
Location: Ohio, USA

Diagnosis: I saw a doctor because I was having a lot of pain around my knee. I thought it was a football injury but it turned out to be osteosarcoma of the proximal tibia. My orthopedic surgeon referred me to the Mayo Clinic. After repeating many of the same tests (CT, MRI, radio bone scan) and a biopsy, it was confirmed that I had localized osteosarcoma.

Treatment: I had an above knee amputation on 5/10/88, only 12 days after my initial diagnosis. We opted not to have the chemo. I was in the hospital about two weeks total. Read more

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