Ewing Sarcoma Treatment

How Ewing Sarcoma is Treated

Specific treatment for Ewing sarcoma will be determined by your child's physician based on:

• Your child's age, overall health, and medical history
• Extent of the disease
• Your child's tolerance of specific medications, procedures, or therapies
• Expectations for the course of the disease
• Your opinion or preference

Treatment may include one, or more, of the following:

• Surgery
• Chemotherapy
• Radiation therapy
• Amputation
• Resections for metastases (e.g., pulmonary resections of cancer cells in the lung)
• Rehabilitation including physical and occupational therapy, and psychosocial adaptation
• Prosthesis fitting and training
• Supportive care (for the side effects of treatment)
• Antibiotics (to prevent and treat infections)
• Continual follow-up care (to determine response to treatment, detect recurrent disease, and manage late effects of treatment)

Long-Term Outlook for Ewing Sarcoma Patients

The prognosis for a child with Ewing sarcoma greatly depends on:

• Extent of the disease.
• Size and location of the tumor.
• Presence or absence of metastasis.
• Tumor's response to therapy.
• Age and overall health of your child.
• Your child's tolerance of specific medications, procedures, or therapies.
• New developments in treatment.

As with any cancer, prognosis and long-term survival can vary greatly from child to child. Every child is unique and treatment and prognosis is structured around the child's needs. Prompt medical attention and aggressive therapy are important for the best prognosis. Continuous follow-up care is essential for a child diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma. Late effects of radiation and chemotherapy, as well as second malignancies, can occur in survivors of Ewing sarcoma. New methods are continually being discovered to improve treatment and to decrease side effects.