title: Head and neck osteosarcoma in adults: the province of alberta experience over 26 years.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The goal of this study was to describe the incidence, treatment, and outcomes of osteosarcomas in the head and neck over 26 years in the province of Alberta, Canada.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of 14 patients identified and treated in Alberta between 1974 and 1999. Overall and disease-specific survival were the most important outcomes of interest.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average age was 43 years. The maxilla was the most common primary site. The majority of the patients received surgical treatment in combination with adjuvant chemotherapy. Disease-specific survival was 42% at 2 years and 30.1% at 5 years. Four patients developed osteosarcomas in the field of previous radiation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Osteosarcoma of the head and neck is very aggressive. In our series, mostly high-grade malignancy affected a middle-aged population. Surgical resection is difficult owing to anatomic restraints, and adjuvant chemotherapy should be considered in most patients. The series is notable for the poor outcome, with a 5-year actuarial survival of 30%. This may reflect the lack of a standardized treatment protocol.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Frauenklinikstrasse 24, CH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland. gerry.huber@usz.ch
authors.forename: Gerhard F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Huber
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dziegielewski
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wayne Matthews
authors.forename: Joseph C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Dort
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000416:Alberta / Q000453:epidemiology; D002423:Cause of Death; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012516:Osteosarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult