[Bone and soft tissue sarcomas treated at the Norwegian Radium Hospital 1980-99].
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.
Saeter
Gunnar
G
Onkologisk avdeling, Det Norske Radiumhospital 0310 Oslo. gunnar.sater@klinmed.uio.no
Hall
Kirsten Sundby
KS
Bruland
Øyvind S
ØS
Solheim
Øyvin P
ØP
Høie
Johan
J
Follerås
Gunnar
G
Helgerud
Per
P
Stenwig
Anna E
AE
Bjerkehagen
Bodil
B
Talle
Kristian
K
Taksdal
Ingeborg
I
Winderen
Mette
M
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