Bone Cancer In Children: New 'Growing' Implant Treatment Reduces Surgeries

A new technique called "growing implant" is emerging as an important option in the treatment of bone cancer among children, allowing doctors to adjust the length of an affected limb as the child grows, experts say. The technology is particularly useful in cases where a portion of a bone has to be removed due to cancer, helping maintain normal limb growth and function. Orthopaedic oncologist at Bhagwan Mahaveer Cancer Hospital Dr Praveen Gupta said that children's bones continue to grow for several years, which makes conventional implants less suitable over the long term.

"Children's bones keep growing, so standard implants often fail to match their natural growth. Growing implants have been developed to address this issue and help maintain the balance in the length of the limb as the child grows," he said.

Gupta said that usually a small surgery is performed about every six months to increase the length of the implant so that it keeps pace with the child's natural growth. This process generally continues until the child is around 13 years old.

He said that a more advanced version of the implant now uses remote-control technology.

"This implant has a special magnetic mechanism. Doctors can increase its length through an external remote control without performing surgery," Gupta said.

Medical Superintendent and Head of the Department at the State Cancer Institute in Sawai Man Singh Hospital Dr Sandeep Jasuja said the technology represents an important step forward in pediatric cancer care.

"Growing implants are a relatively new technique and they reduce the need for repeated operations. In the coming years, the results are expected to be very encouraging," he said. 

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