title: Quality of life following limb-salvage surgery for bone sarcomas.
abstract: Limb-salvage surgery and reconstruction of bone defects is challenging in orthopedic oncology. Evaluation and improvement of the quality of life in these patients is difficult. Currently available metrics of function include clinical measures such as range of motion and muscle strength, measures of activities of daily living, scales that combine both clinical measures and activities of daily living, the original and the revised version of the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society Rating Scale, which includes symptoms, mobility and use of assistive devices, generic health status measures such as the Sickness Impact Profile, and the Reintegration to Normal Living, a measure of handicap. Most bone sarcoma survivors manage well; they are able to work and have an overall good quality of life, having adjusted to their physical limitations. To enhance the literature, we summarize the results of previous studies reporting on the quality of life after limb-salvage surgery of the upper and lower limb, discuss the complications and outcomes, and present our long-term experience and future view.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, University of Bologna, Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Via Pupilli 1, 40136 Bologna, Italy. pietro.ruggieri@ior.it
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ruggieri
authors.forename: Andreas F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Mavrogenis
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mercuri
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D023821:Limb Salvage / Q000379:methods*; D053580:Muscle Strength; D011788:Quality of Life; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000601:surgery*; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile