title: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for the treatment of osteosarcoma of the extremities: excellent response of the primary tumor to preoperative treatment with methotrexate, cisplatin, adriamycin, and ifosfamide. Preliminary results.
abstract: A total of 48 patients with non-metastatic osteosarcoma of the extremities were treated with a new neoadjuvant chemotherapy protocol which, prior to surgery, included the use of high dose methotrexate, cisplatin, adriamycin and ifosfamide. Cisplatin was administered intra-arterially, whereas the other drugs were given intravenously. In all of the cases response to this chemotherapy protocol was very good, allowing for conservative treatment in 46 out of 48 patients. Histological evaluation of chemotherapy response showed good (> 90%) and total necrosis in 87 and 54% of the cases, respectively. Drug toxicity was acceptable. Results were significantly better than those previously obtained in our and in other institutes when only three drugs were used (methotrexate, cisplatin, and adriamycin) in the preoperative treatment scheme. Since it has been demonstrated that grade of histological response to preoperative chemotherapy, and prognosis are closely related in osteosarcoma of the extremities treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, in addition to allowing for the use of conservative surgery in the majority of cases, this new protocol may also lead to a significant increase in the patient cure rate.
authors.affiliation: Sezione Chemioterapia dei Tumori dell'Apparato Locomotore, Istituti Ortopedici Rizzoli, Bologna.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bacci
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Picci
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sangiorgi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mercuri
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bertoni
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brach del Prever
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tienghi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mancini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Comandone
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005121:Extremities; D005260:Female; D005266:Femoral Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007069:Ifosfamide / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012516:Osteosarcoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D011300:Preoperative Care; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004317:Doxorubicin; D002945:Cisplatin; D007069:Ifosfamide; D008727:Methotrexate