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Feeling Lucky
This year's big challenge for Kaitlin James is middle school. Locker combinations, five-minute passing periods and new braces on her teeth are all obstacles that the Fort Wayne, Ind. sixth-grader welcomes enthusiastically. Just over three years ago, the James family faced a very different challenge as their youngest child struggled through a life-or-death battle with cancer. Today Kaitlin and her family approach everyday challenges not as hurdles but as gifts. "Cancer changed our lives," says Chris Klotz James, Kaitlin's mom. "I look back at those pre-cancer, innocent days. I was so uninformed about cancer. I never thought it would affect our family." The James family found themselves at Riley Hospital for Children when a pain in Kaitlin's right leg proved not to be typical growing pains but rather Ewing's sarcoma - a form of bone cancer. The most common type of bone cancer is osteosarcoma, which develops in new tissue in growing bones. Evidence suggests that Ewing's sarcoma begins in immature nerve tissue in bone marrow. Osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma tend to occur more frequently in children and adolescents, while other forms of bone cancer occur more often in adults. Once at Riley, things happened quickly for Kaitlin. She was evaluated by Dr. Dan Wurtz, associate professor of clinical orthopedic surgery at IU School of Medicine. The cancer was found in her right hip. It was caught early, which meant Kaitlin was a good candidate for limb-sparing surgery. Kaitlin also underwent chemotherapy and she responded very well. "Kaitlin was very lucky - lucky that her cancer was found very early, lucky that the cancer responded well to chemotherapy and lucky that a doctor like Dr. Wurtz, who could perform her surgery and save her leg,was right here at Riley," says Klotz James. Surgical advances, along with pre- and post-operative chemotherapy, now make it possible to save or reconstruct the existing limb in most cases. The youngster underwent a procedure to remove the cancer from her right hip by a surgical team led by Dr. Wurtz. Kaitlin is indeed one of the lucky ones. A procedure like Kaitlin underwent isn't an option for all children with bone cancer. Last year, Dr. Wurtz became the first and only surgeon in Indiana to employ a new prosthesis called Repiphysis.TM The prosthesis has a two-part overlapping metal sleeve surrounded by polymer. Within a metal sleeve is an adjustable spring. Harmless electromagnetic rays are beamed at the device, softening the polymer and allowing the spring to expand to the length that is needed as the patient grows. Turn off the beam and the polymer hardens and freezes the spring. This is a huge advance for children with bone cancer. It extends the limb of youngsters during normal growth cycles. Bone cancer is rare,with only about 2,000 cases in the United States each year. But it is most common in children and young adults, where it usually strikes near the knee. With surgery and chemotherapy, 70 percent are cured. Kaitlin's surgery took place on September 28, 2001. At three years, there was no evidence of the disease. Every year since, the James family throws a party for family to celebrate that date. Kaitlin calls it her "Fall Party," and she and her guests release balloons that include her story and her e-mail address. Well wishes have come back from throughout Indiana and as far as Ohio, all offering Kaitlin the best and prayers for a bright future. "If I could tell people one thing, it would be to teach them about bone cancer, make sure they know what kids like me go through and tell them that bone cancer research needs funding," says Kaitlin, "And kids who do have cancer need to keep fighting. You can never give up. I never gave up." [Keywords: Orthopedics] |
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