title: Clinicopathological analysis of osteosarcoma of jaw bones.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of osteosarcoma of the jaw bones (JOS) and to compare the data with results of similar studies. To study the effectiveness of different treatment modalities currently available for this malignancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nineteen cases of JOS diagnosed from 1993 to 2003 were retrieved from the departmental archives. These were categorized into histopathological subtypes and graded according to the severity of the malignancies and the data analyzed. Fourteen cases were followed up and the success rate with different treatment modalities assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age for JOS was 34.1 years. There were 11 mandibular lesions and eight maxillary lesions. Osteoblastic variant (53%) was the commonest histopathological subtype. High grade (grades III and IV) was more prevalent. All 14 followed up patients underwent surgical excision--five with adjuvant radiotherapy and six with adjuvant chemotherapy. Local recurrence was the commonest complication. Nine of the 14 were surviving with a survival rate of 64.2% for a median follow-up period of 5.25 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  JOS is a distinct group of lesions with a better prognosis if diagnosed and treated early. It does not show any ethnic variability. Existing histopathological typing and grading may not indicate the prognosis of JOS. Adjuvant chemotherapy is a better treatment modality than adjuvant radiotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, Faculty of Dental Sciences, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: E H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Nissanka
authors.forename: E A P D
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Amaratunge
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Tilakaratne
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008339:Mandibular Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008441:Maxillary Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000473:pathology; D012516:Osteosarcoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome