title: [Bone and soft tissue sarcomas treated at the Norwegian Radium Hospital 1980-99].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Norwegian Radium Hospital's sarcoma group is a multidisciplinary group with a leading role in the diagnosis and treatment of bone and soft tissue sarcomas in Norway.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 1980 through 1999, 1,355 patients with soft tissue sarcoma and 458 patients with bone sarcoma were treated. In a retrospective analysis of trends over time, patients were allocated to consecutive five-year periods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patient characteristics were relatively stable, but there was an increasing proportion of soft tissue sarcomas being referred without prior surgery. Treatment principles have remained unchanged, with surgery with or without radiotherapy dominating in soft tissue sarcoma and surgery with or without chemotherapy in bone sarcoma. The amputation rate for bone sarcoma has fallen from 78% to 17%, and survival has increased significantly for both soft tissue and bone sarcoma patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate significant improvements in the quality of treatment of soft tissue and bone sarcoma. More resources for treatment and organizational development of a multidisciplinary group may contribute to improved quality of care.
authors.affiliation: Onkologisk avdeling, Det Norske Radiumhospital 0310 Oslo. gunnar.sater@klinmed.uio.no
authors.forename: Gunnar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Saeter
authors.forename: Kirsten Sundby
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Øyvind S
authors.initials: ØS
authors.lastname: Bruland
authors.forename: Øyvin P
authors.initials: ØP
authors.lastname: Solheim
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Høie
authors.forename: Gunnar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Follerås
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Helgerud
authors.forename: Anna E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Stenwig
authors.forename: Bodil
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bjerkehagen
authors.forename: Kristian
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Talle
authors.forename: Ingeborg
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Taksdal
authors.forename: Mette
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Winderen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D012516:Osteosarcoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome