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Prognosis and survival for childhood bone cancer

  1. Home
  2. Cancer information
  3. Cancer types
  4. Bone - childhood
  5. Prognosis and survival
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Last medical review:

A prognosis is the doctor's best estimate of how cancer will affect someone and how it will respond to treatment. Prognosis and survival depend on many factors. Only a doctor familiar with your child's medical history, the type and stage and other features of the cancer, the treatments chosen and the response to treatment can put all of this information together with survival statistics to arrive at a prognosis.

A prognostic factor is an aspect of the cancer or a characteristic of the child that the doctor will consider when making a prognosis. A predictive factor influences how a cancer will respond to a certain treatment. Prognostic and predictive factors are often discussed together. They both play a part in deciding on a treatment plan and a prognosis.

There are different prognostic and predictive factors for osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma of the bone. There are also separate survival statistics for each type of cancer.

Expert review and references

  • Abha Gupta, MD, MSc, FRCPC
  • Raveena Ramphal, MBChB, FRACP
  • PDQ® Pediatric Treatment Editorial Board. Osteosarcoma and Undifferentiated Pleomorphic Sarcoma of Bone Treatment (PDQ®) – Health Professional Version. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute; 2021. https://www.cancer.gov/types/bone/hp/osteosarcoma-treatment-pdq.
  • American Society of Clinical Oncology. Ewing Sarcoma - Childhood and Adolescence. 2019.
  • PDQ® Pediatric Treatment Editorial Board. Ewing Sarcoma Treatment (PDQ®) – Health Professional Version. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute; 2021. https://www.cancer.gov/types/bone/hp/ewing-treatment-pdq.
  • American Society of Clinical Oncology. Osteosarcoma - Childhood and Adolescence. 2019.
  • Gorlick R, Janeway K, Marina N. Osteosarcoma. Pizzo PA, Poplack DG, eds.. Principles and Practice of Pediatric Oncology. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer; 2016: 34:877–899.
  • Hawkins DS, Brennan BMD, Bolling T, Davidson DJ, Dirksen U, DuBois SG, Hogendoorn PCS, Lessnick SL. Ewing sarcoma. Pizzo PA, Poplack DG, eds.. Principles and Practice of Pediatric Oncology. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer; 2016: 33:855–876.

Prognosis and survival for childhood osteosarcoma

Prognosis estimates the outcome for childhood bone cancer. An important prognostic factor for osteosarcoma is if it has spread.
Learn more on Prognosis and survival for childhood osteosarcoma

Prognosis and survival for childhood Ewing sarcoma of the bone

Prognosis estimates the outcome for childhood bone cancer. An important prognostic factor for Ewing sarcoma is if it has spread.
Learn more on Prognosis and survival for childhood Ewing sarcoma of the bone

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