Osteosarcoma of the jaw bones. Analysis of 18 cases.
A series of 18 jaw osteosarcomas is reviewed. The ages of the 11 males and 7 females ranged from 11 to 65 years with a mean age of 37.4 years. The maxilla was involved in 10 cases whereas the mandible was the site of disease in 8 patients. A widened periodontal space was an invariably present radiological feature in those patients in whom the tumour involved the tooth-bearing area of the jaw. Treatment consisted of radical surgery with incidental radiotherapy or chemotherapy as adjuvant therapy. The local recurrence rate was 36% whereas the rate of metastasis was 40%. A five year survival time free of disease was shown by 47%. Prognosis was found to be adversely influenced by a high age and a high grade of histological malignancy as determined by counting mitoses. Features that distinguish jaw osteosarcoma from tumours elsewhere in the skeleton are a higher mean age of occurrence, a lower rate of metastasis, a longer period of time before clinical manifestation of metastasis and a more favourable prognosis. Factors that could be responsible for this variation in behaviour are discussed.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007573:Jaw Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012516:Osteosarcoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D011859:Radiography