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
Keith’s Story
Low-grade osteosarcoma at the proximal femur
Age at Diagnosis: 47
Date of Diagnosis: 2003
Location: Colorado
Hospital: Presbyterian St. Luke’s, Denver
Team: Dr. Richard Hesky and Dr. Ross Wilkins
Diagnosis: I went to my GP in late 2002 with chronic pain in my right hip. An x-ray indicated a change in bone density. MRI and subsequent exams pointed to a bone tumor. Biopsy confirmed that it was osteosarcoma.
Treatment: I had a radical femoral resection with hip replacement and no chemotherapy. My experience was positive and uneventful, under the circumstances. …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
Katie’s Story
Osteosarcoma at the distal femur
Age at Diagnosis: 21
Date of Diagnosis: February 2007
Location: Near Halifax, United Kingdom
Hospital: St. James University Hospital
Team: Dr Dan Stark, Dr Tillman and Dr. Grimer
Diagnosis: I had been having pain in my knee for 4 – 5 years. I went to my GP for the first time about my knee in January 2004 and he referred me directly to physio without doing any tests or x-rays. I tried that physio for about a year but due to moving house and the exercises not doing a thing I gave up. The pain was still getting worse so yet again I went to my GP who again referred me to physio in August 2005 (yet again without any tests) and was told basically to do the same exercises, which I stuck at for another year but again gave up due to moving house and stuff, plus it was still getting worse not better. Over Christmas 2006 it was getting worse, I could hardly bend it, was very swollen and extremely painful. I went back to my GP who I told I needed this sorting and he agreed to do blood tests to see which department to refer me to at the hospital. …Read More
Sally’s Story
Osteosarcoma at the distal femur
Age at Diagnosis: 27
Date of Diagnosis: 2005
Location: United Kingdom
Hospital: Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham
Diagnosis: I first started with knee pain in October 2004, but my GP put it down to a strain even though I couldn’t remember falling or injuring myself. The pain got gradually worse, and I was waking in the night feeling as though my leg was on fire. My knee was hot, red and swollen. I kept going back to my GP but he kept giving me painkillers and telling me to come back in two weeks. Eventually I insisted on being referred to a specialist and had an X-ray at the hospital in February 2005. The X-ray showed “something suspicious” and I was referred to the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham for a biopsy, chest CT and bone scan. I was finally diagnosed with osteosarcoma in March 2005. …Read More
Kelly’s Story
Osteosarcoma at the tibia
Age at Diagnosis: 38
Date of Diagnosis: 2006
Location: USA
Hospital: University of Michigan
Team: Dr. Sybil Biermann, Dr. Scott Schuetze
Diagnosis: During October of 2006 my mother was dying of lung cancer. While caring for her, my knee started to ache. It wasn’t too painful, however I found myself taking Motrin to help with the pain. I attributed the pain to my trying to move my mother into different positions to make her more comfortable. I thought that maybe I had twisted my knee. There was no swelling, just a dull ache. Heat and cold did not seem to help. My mother died on October 18th and after her death the pain became worse. …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
