Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for the treatment of osteosarcoma of the limbs. Preliminary results in 100 patients treated preoperatively with high doses of methotrexate i.v. followed by cisplatin (i.a.) and adriamycin

Chir Organi Mov. 1991 Jan-Mar;76(1):1-16.
[Article in English, Italian]

Abstract

One-hundred patients affected with non-metastatic osteosarcoma of the limbs were treated according to a new adjuvant chemotherapy protocol. Preoperative treatment consisted in high doses of methotrexate (i.v.), followed after one week by cisplatin continuous intra-arterial infusion for 72 hours and adriamycin in intravenous infusion for 8 hours. There was good clinical and radiographic response in all of the cases, and conservative treatment was used in 86 cases (86%). A postsurgery histological examination of the segment showed "good" necrosis (greater than 90%) in 75 patients (75%). The incidence of "good" necroses obtained with this protocol was significantly higher as compared to that observed previously at our Center when a preoperative chemotherapy scheme was used, which involved methotrexate and cisplatin alone. Up until now, patients with a good histological response to preoperative chemotherapy have always had an excellent prognosis. Thus, it is our belief that the 23% increase in good histological responses observed must correspond to an increase in the percentage of healing. The preliminary results (83% of patients with no signs of disease) seem to encourage our hypothesis.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Bone Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Bone Neoplasms / surgery
  • Child
  • Cisplatin / administration & dosage*
  • Doxorubicin / administration & dosage*
  • Extremities
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Infusions, Intra-Arterial
  • Infusions, Intravenous
  • Male
  • Methotrexate / administration & dosage*
  • Middle Aged
  • Osteosarcoma / drug therapy*
  • Osteosarcoma / surgery
  • Preoperative Care
  • Prognosis
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Doxorubicin
  • Cisplatin
  • Methotrexate