title: Osteosarcoma of the head and neck region: lessons learned from a single-institution experience of 50 patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Osteosarcoma of the head and neck region is a rare tumor and is a therapeutic challenge because of its aggressive nature and complex anatomical location. Standard management guidelines are lacking due to paucity of published data.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty patients with head and neck osteosarcoma treated at our institute from 1995 to 2004 were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 32 men and 18 women (median, 30 years). Mandible (56%) was the most common site. Chondroblastic (46%) was the most common histopathological variant. Treatment comprised multimodality approach using surgery (100%), radiotherapy (36%), and chemotherapy (58%). After a median follow-up of 16.6 months, 46% were alive and disease free. Median overall survival was 45.7 months, and progression-free survival was 13.7 months. Mandible and maxilla were favorable sites. Postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy improved local control in patients with adverse prognostic factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surgery remains the mainstay of the treatment of head and neck osteosarcoma. Adjuvant radiotherapy improves outcome in patients with adverse factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Parel, Mumbai 400012, India. laskars2000@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Siddhartha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Laskar
authors.forename: Ayan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Basu
authors.forename: Mary Ann
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Muckaden
authors.forename: Anil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Cruz
authors.forename: Suresh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pai
authors.forename: Nirmala
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jambhekar
authors.forename: Pramod
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tike
authors.forename: Shyam K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Shrivastava
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D012516:Osteosarcoma / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D011379:Prognosis; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant