title: Predictors of survival in malignant tumors of the sternum.
abstract: From 1930 to 1994, 54 patients with primary malignant tumors of the sternum were seen. Fifty patients were first seen with a mass, and one half of them also had pain in the sternal region. Two patients had no symptoms at presentation. Among 39 solid tumors were 26 chondrosarcomas, 10 osteosarcomas, 1 fibrosarcoma, 1 angiosarcoma, and 1 malignant fibrous histiocytoma. Of these, 25 were low-grade and 14 were high-grade tumors. Among 15 small cell tumors were 8 plasmacytomas, 6 malignant lymphomas, and 1 Ewing's sarcoma. Partial or subtotal sternectomy was done in 37 patients and total sternectomy in 3. Of the remaining 14 patients, 3 had local excision; 10 had external radiation or chemotherapy without operation, or both; and 1 had no treatment. All but one patient treated by wide resection (N = 40) had some form of skeletal reconstruction of the chest wall defect. Thirty-one (78%) underwent repair with Marlex mesh, and in 25 this was combined with methyl methacrylate. The skin edges were closed per primum in 32 patients; 8 required muscle, omentum, or skin flaps. Resection in chondrosarcomas yielded a 5-year survival (Kaplan-Meier) of 80% (median follow-up, 17 years). The 5-year survival in osteosarcomas was 14%. Resection was curative in 64% of low-grade sarcomas but in only 7% of high-grade sarcomas. In small cell tumors, resection and radiation were helpful for local control; all failures were a result of distant metastases. We conclude that primary sarcomas of the sternum though uncommon are potentially curable by wide surgical excision. With rigid prostheses to repair the skeletal defects, the surgical complication rates are low. Overall survival after complete surgical resection is related to tumor histologic type and grade.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, N.Y., USA.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Martini
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Huvos
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Burt
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Heelan
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Bains
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: McCormack
authors.forename: V W
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Rusch
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Downey
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Ginsberg
mesh_terms: D001843:Bone Cements; D002813:Chondrosarcoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D020366:Methylmethacrylate; D008768:Methylmethacrylates; D008875:Middle Aged; D012516:Osteosarcoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D010954:Plasmacytoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D011095:Polyethylenes; D011126:Polypropylenes; D013249:Sternum / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D013526:Surgical Mesh; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate; D013899:Thoracic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001843:Bone Cements; D008768:Methylmethacrylates; C016674:Plastipore; D011095:Polyethylenes; D011126:Polypropylenes; D020366:Methylmethacrylate