Ewing sarcoma is a rare, aggressive cancer that primarily strikes children and adolescents, yet it can present in infants, where it is exceptionally uncommon. U.S. registry data show an incidence of about 3 cases per 1,000,000 in people younger than 20, with rates higher in boys than girls (approximately 3.5/million vs. 2.5/million). The American Cancer Society estimates ~200 children and teens are diagnosed in the U.S. each year.
Against that backdrop of rarity, orthopedic oncologist James C. Wittig, MD, has announced a milestone outcome: A baby girl who was just 10 months old when first brought to him with Ewing sarcoma involving the entire radius is doing exceedingly well three years after limb-sparing surgery — she is disease-free, active, and using her right hand with striking dexterity.
“This case is truly one of a kind,” Dr. Wittig said. “Ewing sarcoma of the radius in an infant is so rare that we could not find a single comparable case published in medical literature. To save the arm and hand of such a young child — and see her now leading a full and healthy life — is nothing short of extraordinary. She is, without question, the most sacred patient of my career.”
What is Ewing sarcoma, and why infants are different
Ewing sarcoma arises in bone (or less commonly soft tissue) and often presents with pain and swelling. While most cases occur during the teenage years, the incidence is lowest in infants and young children, and it increases through adolescence. That demographic reality means infants with Ewing sarcoma are both rare and surgically delicate, requiring subspecialty coordination across pediatric oncology, orthopedic oncology, anesthesia, and rehabilitation to preserve life and function.
A radical alternative to amputation
In this case, Dr. Wittig’s team performed a radical resection of the entire radius to achieve clear oncologic margins, followed by ulnar centralization — a reconstruction that fuses the wrist (carpus) to the ulna to create a one-bone forearm. Though the radius is removed, the approach preserves the hand and enables meaningful function. The infant also completed multi-agent chemotherapy, a standard pillar of Ewing sarcoma care.
Only weeks after the cast was removed, the baby girl began moving her fingers; a crucial early sign of recovery. Today, more than three years post-surgery, she is running, playing, and uses her right hand almost as well as her left. Imaging has documented an especially promising phenomenon: The ulna is remodeling over time to assume the role of the missing radius, supporting stability and dexterity as she grows.
Why this matters for families and clinicians
Historically, when a malignant tumor engulfed an entire forearm bone in a baby, amputation was often viewed as the most reliable route to cure. This case illustrates how modern limb-sparing techniques, performed at experienced centers, can achieve oncologic control while preserving the hand and the potential for normal development. The result is not simply survival; it is survivorship with function, which matters profoundly for a child’s milestones, independence, and quality of life.
“This family’s trust was the greatest gift of all,” Dr. Wittig added. “It is always the highest compliment when parents allow me and my team to care for their child. Watching her grow, play, and thrive after overcoming such a diagnosis is the ultimate reward.”
A blueprint for rare, complex pediatric cases
The case also underscores two practical lessons. First, early referral matters: because infant Ewing sarcoma is so rare, timely evaluation by an orthopedic oncology team can expand options beyond amputation. Second, growth can be an ally: The pediatric skeleton’s capacity to remodel, the ulna adapting to its new role, can amplify the functional payoff of a high-skill reconstruction.
Looking ahead
As survival rates continue to improve for Ewing sarcoma through multimodal care (chemotherapy, surgery, and, when indicated, radiation), attention is shifting toward functional outcomes and life after treatment, including school, play, sports, and the ordinary joys of childhood. This three-year update confirms that, with the right plan and team, cure and function can be achieved even in the most daunting presentations of bone sarcoma.
To learn more about Dr. James C. Wittig and this case, read the press release.
Originally published on HealthTechZone.
