Ewing's Sarcoma is a rare Childhood Cancer that is a family of tumors called sarcomas. These tumors originate from bone, muscle or cartilage, also known as Primitive Neural Ectodermic Tumor (PNET). It is an abnormality of the DNA that is found rarely in other types of cancers. Currently, there is no preventive measure to reduce the risk of developing this cancer. This family of tumors can occur at any age, but these tumors are most common in males in early teenage years. Most of these tumors occur in the trunk, and most commonplace is the pelvis. About one third of the bone tumors occur in the leg, mainly in the middle of the long bone. The next most common sites are the ribs and the spine. This is one of the most painful types of cancer.
To date, researchers have found chromosomal changes that lead to the Ewing family of tumors, but these changes are not inherited. Instead, they develop in children after birth for no apparent reason. The problem seems to lie on chromosome number 22. In the Ewing family of tumors, a piece of chromosome 11 (or less often, 21) has changed places with a piece of chromosome 22. With the above knowledge, the key to prevention is possible.
Ewing's Sarcoma occurs in approximately 1 of every 50,000 teenagers, accounting for around 30% of all bone cancers that occur in children.
From Canadian Cancer Statistics 2007 - National Cancer Institute of Canada
| New cases of Ewing's sarcoma in Canada 1999-2003 | 126 |
| Mortality, deaths in Canada 1999-2003 | 47 * |
* Accounting for 37% of deaths
From Canadian Cancer Statistics 2008 - National Cancer Institute of Canada
| New cases of Ewing's Sarcoma in Canada 2000-2004 | 79 |
| Mortality, deaths in Canada 2000-2004 | 28 * |
* Accounting for 35% of deaths
| Ewing's Sarcoma diagnosed between 1999-2003 | 24 |
| Mortality, deaths in this group | 8 * |
* Accounting for 33% of deaths
| Ewing's Sarcoma diagnosed between 2004-2007 | 20 |
| Mortality, deaths in this group | 4 * |
* Accounting for 20% of deaths
Ewing's Sarcoma occurs for unknown reasons. There is currently no preventive measure to reduce the risk of developing this cancer. A cure is most likely if Ewing's Sarcoma is detected when it is isolated and small; however too often Ewing's Sarcoma is not discovered until it has grown too large to be cured. When this happens, the available treatment options become very limited. It is for this reason that funding for additional medical research is imperative. Now is the time to aid dedicated researchers and scientists to develop 21st century therapies in order to increase the cure rate for victims of Ewing's Sarcoma.
