Osteosarcoma in young children.
The clinicopathologic features of osteosarcoma in 12 children younger than 16 years of age treated at The Children's Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, during a 70-year time period are presented. Only one of six children treated before 1972 is a long-term survivor. Four of six children (67%) treated after 1972 are disease-free with an average follow-up of 8.8 years. The year 1972 marked the onset of use of effective chemotherapy in osteosarcoma, namely, high-dose methotrexate and leucovorin rescue. It would appear that the pathologic features and behavior of osteosarcoma in young children is similar to that of osteosarcoma in older children and adolescents. A combination of complete (wide) surgical resection or amputation and aggressive chemotherapy offers the best chance of long-term survival.
Kozakewich
H
H
Department of Pathology, Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115.
Perez-Atayde
A R
AR
Goorin
A M
AM
Wilkinson
R H
RH
Gebhardt
M C
MC
Vawter
G F
GF
D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005266:Femoral Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D006811:Humerus; D008297:Male; D012516:Osteosarcoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D015996:Survival Rate; D013977:Tibia