Primary malignant tumours of bone and soft tissue in the elderly.
OBJECTIVE
This study reports outcome, functional results and quality of life of 45 elderly patients with age over 70 after surgery for primary malignant bone and soft tissue tumours.


METHODS
There were 24 primary malignant bone tumours and 21 soft tissue sarcomas. The most frequent diagnoses were: chondrosarcoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma and liposarcoma. Local tumour resection with and without osteosynthesis, endoprostheses, and amputations had been performed for surgery. The patients were prospectively followed in a tumour register.


RESULTS
Complication and revision rate, functional outcome using the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society score, 5-year survival rate, median survival time and quality of life according to the Life Satisfaction Index A and the global health and quality-of-life scale of the QLQ-C30 revealed results that are only slightly inferior to those reported in younger tumour patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study generally justify even extensive tumour surgery in the elderly patient over 70 although outcomes are not quite as good as those reported for younger adults. However, especially in the old patient indications like general condition and comorbidity should be given due consideration before any decision is made on whether surgery should be performed and if so what surgical technique should be applied.
Buchner
M
M
Orthopaedic Clinic at the University of Heidelberg, Schlierbacher Landstrasse 200a, D-69118 Heidelberg, Germany. matthias.buchner@ok.uni-heidelberg.de
Bernd
L
L
Zahlten-Hinguranage
A
A
Sabo
D
D
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012042:Registries; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome