Osteochondroma

=__Osteochondroma__: Tumors of the Bone=

Osteochondroma is a benign tumor of the bone. Rather than a malignant tumor, which can worsen and become a severe cancerous case, sometimes leading to death, a benign tumor is non-cancerous and cannot spread to other tissues of the body. The disease is a common developmental abnormality on growth plate. The tumor is an outgrowth of cartilage and bone from the metaphysis, or the growing part of a long bone that is between the diaphysis and epiphysis. Generally, the tumors are found in the proximal or distal end of the femur, the proximal humerus and tibia, the pelvis, and scapula.Osteochondroma tends to grow in the youth stage and continues enlarging during skeletal growth and ending at skeletal maturity. Preliminary signs include a hard but painless mass fixed upon the bone.The symptoms usually occur due to irritation of the soft tissues lying over the bump, and there may be some swelling. If an osteochondroma lies under a tendon, sudden movement of the tissue over the osteochondroma can cause pain. If near a blood vessel or a nerve, a person may feel numbness or tingling in the area. In a rare condition, the osteochondroma can cause periodic changes in the blood flow.

[|Diagnosis]
An osteochondroma can be seen with a simple X-ray. It may appear as a flat or stalk-like protrusion, with a varied density throughout. However, if the patient is an adult, it is crucial to make sure the bump is not cancerous if larger than two centimeters. Other diagnostic procedures, such as a CT scan or MRI, are described in further detail at http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/uvahealth/adult_bone/ostchond.cfm.

Osteochondroma: Solitary vs. Multiple Osteochondromatosis
Osterochondromas can occur in two different forms: solitary osteochondroma, also known as osteocartilaginous exostosis, and multiple osteochondromatosis. Solitary osteochondroma develops as an outgrowth on bone surface formed by the growth plate. Most solitary osteochondromas are deemed non-cancerous, and overall they account for about 35 to 40 percent of all bone tumors. The tumor's shape may have a "stalk" (penduculated tumor), or no stalk at all (sessile tumor). Solitary osteochondroma can be diagnosed in patients ranging from 10 to 30 years old. There is no prevention for solitary osteochondroma since the cause is unidentified. Multiple osteochondromatosis is usually inherited, although it can occur spontaneously. More often, multiple osteochondromatosis occurs in males than females. In contrast, solitary osteochondromas affect both men and women equally. The main difference is that there is a supposed cause of multiple osteochondromatosis: an modification in the genes, called EXT genes.This gene can be passed on through a family. Contracting this form of an osteochondroma gives a patient a greater chance of their tumor turning cancerous. Both have the same symptoms, described in the first paragraph, but rather than a single tumor, those affected by multiple osteochondromatosis may have more than one tumor and in a variety of locations. To view an X-ray of a patient affected by osteochondroma, click here: [|osteochondroma_(2).jpg]. This is an actual X-ray provided by Dr. Arthur J. Taylor, M.D.

Cures
Osteochondroma cannot be prevented, but depending upon the size and severity of the tumor, it can be removed surgically or treated with medications to moderate the pain. If the patient does not complain of any pain, or if no severe symptoms such as the weakening of bone occur, a physician may only suggest observation of the tumor. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00079&return_link=0 gives different options for treatments, surgical and non-surgical alike.

Treatment and Prognosis
How to treat osteochondroma is the question? The answer however is not so simple. It tends to happen in growing children near the growth plates of bones. This makes it difficult to remove because it could damage the child's growth plate. If a doctor has checked if it is cancerous and it comes out that it's not, then the option to leave it as is and keep a close eye on it is common to hear. On the other hand, if the tumor is causing pain or hurting the patients bones in any way then surgery could be necessary. There are is no medical treatment for osteochondroma except the decision to remove it surgically. In some cases, this is a relatively simple procedure but in others it can be a very risky procedure and the choice should not be taken lightly. In rare cases however, the tumor can become malignant and can become a chondrosarcoma, which means that it won't spread to any other places in the body. If the tumor becomes malignant, then other treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy may be helpful. A procedure known as osteotomy is used for a painful tumors, or a tumor blocking the mobility of an extremity. The procedure involves removing the tumor and placing the deformed bones back into the original alignment. The prognosis, or chance of recovery, if any, of a patient afflicted with **solitary** osteochondroma is very great. Following the surgical treatment, described above, a person has less than a five percent chance of recurrence. In "The CIBA Collection of Medical Illustrations, Volume 8", Frank Netter, M.D. states that the chance of osteochondroma becoming malignant in solitary osteochondroma afterward is one percent, but about ten percent in multiple osteochondromatosis.

What causes osteochondroma?
While the exact cause of osteochondroma is not known, there is a genetic link, indicating that there is a form of the disorder that is inherited. There is also a non-inherited form of the disorder.

What are the symptoms of osteochondroma?
The following are the most common symptoms of osteochondroma. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include: Often individuals with osteochondroma will have no symptoms at all.The symptoms of osteochondroma may resemble other medical conditions or problems.
 * a hard, immobile, detectable mass that is painless
 * lower-than-normal-height for age
 * soreness of the adjacent muscles
 * one leg or arm may be longer than the other
 * pressure or irritation with exercise