Some types of cancer
Cancer of the bone
There a number of different types of
bone cancer but the ones that young people are most likely to develop are
osteosarcoma and Ewing’s sarcoma. We don’t know what causes them but do know that the bones that tend to be affected are the leg and arm bones and the pelvis. The most common symptoms are pain and/or swelling around the bone. The tests that are done to diagnose it are x-rays, scans and biopsies and the treatments that are given are
chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery; often a combination of these treatments is given.
Soft tissue sarcomas
Soft tissue sarcomas are cancers of our supportive tissue which includes muscle, cartilage, fat cells and
blood vessels. The areas of the body that they usually affect are the legs and arms, the chest, pelvis and the head and neck area. There are lots of different types but the ones that most commonly affect young people are
rhabdomyosarcomas, synovial sarcomas & fibrosarcomas. The first symptom is usually a painless lump or swelling. The cause is unknown. The tests which diagnose it are biopsy, x-rays, scans and
blood tests. The treatment is chemotherapy radiotherapy and surgery and depending on the type and what is involved a combination of treatments are often given.
Brain tumours
There are a few different types of
brain tumours and the ones that are more common in young people are astrocytomas and ependymomas (these both start in the supportive tissue of the brain). The most common symptoms are
headaches, feeling sick, drowsy and fits. The symptoms experienced depend on where tumour is in the brain. The cause is unknown. The tests that are done to diagnose it are CT & MRI scans & biopsies. Brain tumours are treated with surgery, radiotherapy,
Non – Hodgkins lymphoma
Non-Hodgkins lymphoma is a cancer of the
lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is part of our immune system and is made up of a network of lymph vessels and glands as well as a number of organs. The most common symptoms are painless, swollen lymph glands. The glands that are most likely to be affected are those in the neck, throat, chest and
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