Comparative analysis between osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma: evaluation of the time from onset of signs and symptoms until diagnosis.
OBJECTIVE
The purposes of this study were to describe the early signs and symptoms of osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma, identify symptoms that could be used to help differentiate the two types of tumors, and determine the time elapsed between the onset of signs and symptoms and the definitive diagnosis in our service, providing information and imputus for earlier diagnosis of these tumors.


METHODS
A retrospective analysis of the medical dossiers of 365 patients under 30 years of age diagnosed with osteosarcoma or Ewing's sarcoma was performed, and the aspects of the clinical diagnosis were statistically analyzed and compared.


RESULTS
The time between the onset of signs and the symptoms was 5.25 months for osteosarcoma and 8.1 months for Ewing's sarcoma, and the most frequent (89.5%) early symptom of osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma was local pain. Symptoms that might aid diagnosis included early local volume increase and the presence of fever.


CONCLUSIONS
The time until diagnosis of both neoplasias was higher than that reported for North America and Europe. Education of the lay public and medical professionals regarding suspicious early signs and symptoms might shorten the delay of diagnosis.
Guerra
Raquel Bezerra
RB
Institute of Orthepedics and Traumatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo.
Tostes
Marcelo Duarte
MD
da Costa Miranda
Leandro
L
Pires de Camargo
Olavo
O
Baptista
André Mathias
AM
Caiero
Marcelo Tadeu
MT
Dos Santos Machado
Telma Muria
TM
Abadi
Márcia Datz
MD
Mendes de Oliveira
Claudia Regina G C M
CR
Filippi
Renée Zon
RZ