The therapy of osteogenic sarcoma: Current status and thoughts for the future

Osteogenic sarcoma is a rare but virulent malignancy for which significant prognostic factors have been identified. Evaluating the site, histology, size, and immunologic factors can help identify those patients at higher risk of recurrent disease. Surgical amputation is the mainstay of therapy for appropriate candidates (20% 5 year survivals). Radiation therapy alone yields 13%, and combined with surgery, 20% 5 year survivals. The efficacy of chemotherapy has not been fully evaluated but adriamycin and methotrexate have demonstrated activity of a promising degree. A protocol design to quickly and efficiently determine effective therapy for this disease could include pretherapeutic stratification, controlled trials of drugs or immune adjuvants with reevaluation at specific intervals of clinical significance.