Thinking it was a common office worker illness, the girl received the bad news of bone cancer.

Ignoring the dull aches in the thigh

Speaking with a reporter from Dan Tri newspaper, Dr. Nguyen Duy Anh, a specialist in oncology, said that since the beginning of the year, the female patient had been experiencing persistent, dull pain in her left thigh, lasting for about a month.

According to Dr. Duy Anh, the patient's pain particularly worsens at night and hardly responds to painkillers.

"Because she mistakenly assumed that her pain was due to sitting for long periods at her office job, the young patient treated herself without seeking medical attention. Only when she started limping did she go to a private clinic."

"After an X-ray revealed suspected bone damage, the patient was transferred to the hospital," Dr. Duy Anh informed.

Here, the patient was prescribed tests, and the MRI results of the left femur showed a malignant tumor measuring 6x9cm that had invaded the bone cortex.

The biopsy confirmed it was osteosarcoma. The shock for the patient didn't end there, as a chest CT scan revealed two lung metastases, measuring 6-9mm.

"After we diagnosed the condition, the patient was devastated. This is understandable when someone so young learns they have cancer," Dr. Duy Anh shared.

Before they could enjoy the fruits of their labor, illness struck.

"Coming from a not-so-well-off family, this patient started becoming independent in her first year of university with various part-time jobs. After graduating, she started in the lowest-level position, gradually rising through the ranks thanks to her diligence."

"After nearly 10 years of relentless effort, the young woman has become the head of human resources and has been able to buy a house and a car," Dr. Duy Anh shared.

According to Dr. Duy Anh, the patient is very young, lives independently, and has just started building a career, so it's inevitable that he would be shocked to learn he has a serious illness.

"We have to spend a lot of time talking to them individually to reassure them, help them stay optimistic, and cooperate throughout the treatment process," said Dr. Duy Anh.

According to this expert, the results of the interdisciplinary consultation indicate that the patient is likely to respond well to intensive treatment.

The treatment protocol included: neoadjuvant chemotherapy to shrink the tumor, followed by femoral resection and joint replacement to preserve the limb, then continued adjuvant chemotherapy and close monitoring for lung metastasis.

Be alert to unusual signs.

According to Dr. Duy Anh, the signs of bone cancer are quite difficult to recognize in the early stages, so they are often overlooked by patients.

These symptoms often include aching limbs, dull pain in the bones, especially at night, and reduced mobility.

Only when the tumors begin to progress do symptoms become apparent, such as bone pain radiating to nearby areas, swelling at the painful site, bones becoming brittle, and a hard lump that can be felt in the long bones of the limbs.

Along with the warning signs mentioned above, other symptoms include constant fatigue and unexplained weight loss.

Based on the case of this female patient, Dr. Duy Anh once again warned about the increasing trend of cancer affecting younger people.

"Patients often tend to ignore unusual symptoms in their bodies and assume they are just common illnesses. Along with that, there's a reluctance to go to the hospital for checkups and a lack of regular screenings for fear of discovering a serious disease," said Dr. Duy Anh.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/suc-khoe/tuong-la-benh-vat-cua-dan-cong-so-co-gai-nhan-tin-du-ung-thu-xuong-20250820173104185.htm