Backgrounds and objectives: Lymphovascular invasion (LVI) has shown evidence of an association with worse survival in high-grade osteosarcoma patients. The purpose of this investigation was to prognosticate LVI as a predictor of survival.
Methods: This was a retrospective review of high-grade, localized osteosarcoma patients over a consecutive 10-year period. Proportional hazards regression was used to identify prognostic factors. Cumulative mortality incidence was estimated with recurrence as a competing risk.
Results: Forty-two cases with a median follow-up of 64 months (range, 6-158 months) were reviewed. LVI was present in 21.4% (n = 9) cases. The five- and ten-year survivals in LVI (+) were 40% and 20%, compared to 93% and 81% in LVI (-), respectively (p < .001). After controlling for confounders, advanced age (hazards ratio [HR], 1.134; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1-1.2; p = .01) and LVI (HR, 21.768; 95% CI, 3-135; p = .001) were negative prognosticators. The cumulative incidence of recurrence was no different between LVI (+) and LVI (-) (p = .811), though the incidence of mortality was significantly higher in LVI (+) (p = .003).
Conclusion: The presence of LVI in the setting of high-grade, localized osteosarcoma is associated with greater rates of mortality and appears to portend a dismal prognosis.
Keywords: lymphovascular invasion; osteosarcoma; outcomes; prognosis; survival.
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