Ewing Sarcoma - Childhood and Adolescence: Symptoms and Signs

Approved by the Cancer.Net Editorial Board, 11/2022

ON THIS PAGE: You will find out more about the changes and medical problems that can be a sign of Ewing sarcoma. Use the menu to see other pages.

What are the symptoms and signs of Ewing sarcoma?

Children and young adults with Ewing sarcoma may experience one or more of the following symptoms or signs. Symptoms are changes that you can feel in your body. Signs are changes in something measured, like taking your blood pressure or doing a lab test. Together, symptoms and signs can help describe a medical problem. Sometimes, people with Ewing sarcoma do not have any of the symptoms and signs described below. Or, the cause of a symptom or sign may be a medical condition that is not cancer.

  • Stiffness, pain, swelling, or tenderness in the bone or in the tissue surrounding the bone. About 85% of children and young adults with Ewing sarcoma have pain. Pain can come and go and be less severe at night.

  • A lump near the surface of the skin that may feel warm and soft to the touch.

  • A fever that does not go away.

  • A broken bone that happens without an injury. A tumor growing in the bone can cause the bone to become weak or fracture.

If you are concerned about any changes your child experiences, please talk with your child's doctor. Your doctor will try to understand what is causing your child’s symptom(s). They may do an exam and order tests to understand the cause of the problem, which is called a diagnosis.

If cancer is diagnosed, relieving symptoms remains an important part of your child’s cancer care and treatment. Managing symptoms may also be called "palliative and supportive care," which is not the same as hospice care given at the end of life. You can receive palliative and supportive care at any time during cancer treatment. This type of care focuses on managing symptoms and supporting people who face serious illnesses, such as cancer. Learn more in this guide’s section on Coping with Treatment.

Be sure to talk with the health care team about the symptoms your child experiences, including any new symptoms or a change in symptoms.

The next section in this guide is Diagnosis. It explains what tests may be needed to learn more about the cause of the symptoms. Use the menu to choose a different section to read in this guide.