Introduction: The probability for survival of patients with highly malignant osteosarcoma of the extremities was essentially improved by (neo-)adjuvant chemotherapy. The goal was to further improve survival rates by introducing operative treatment of metastases. In the last 20 years, the percentage of limb-preserving operations has increased.
Patients and methods: A consecutive series of 23 patients with localized highly malignant osteosarcoma of the extremities received (neo-) adjuvant chemotherapy according to the Cooperative Osteosarcoma Study (COSS) protocol. Local treatment was performed by wide (22 patients) or radical (1 patient) resection (17 limb salvage procedures, 5 amputations, and 1 rotationplasty). In four of seven patients who developed pulmonary metastases, the metastases (up to four) were resected. The patients did not receive salvage chemotherapy.
Results: The cumulative survival was 87% at 174 months. The four patients who underwent metastasectomy survived between 42 and 116 months without evidence of disease. One local recurrence developed outside the operative field and could be resected without influencing the functional or oncological outcome. After limb salvage procedures, the mean score according to the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) was 83%, and after rotationplasty 67%.
Conclusions: In patients with osteosarcoma of the extremities, limb salvage is possible in a high percentage of cases with a low risk of local recurrence by an effective interdisciplinary cooperation between diagnostic radiologists, oncologists, and orthopedic surgeons. The midterm survival could be improved by the multimodal therapy from about 20% up to about 80%. Metastasectomy gives patients with a limited number of pulmonary metastases a realistic chance to survive.