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Functional, Psychosocial and Professional Outcomes in Long-Term Survivors of Lower-Extremity Osteosarcomas: Amputation Versus Limb Salvage

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Book cover Pediatric and Adolescent Osteosarcoma

Part of the book series: Cancer Treatment and Research ((CTAR,volume 152))

Abstract

As the number of osteosarcoma survivors increases, the impact of quality of life and function needs to be addressed. Limb salvage is the preferred treatment when patients have treatment options; yet, the questionable long-term durability and complications of prostheses, combined with ambiguous function, leave some doubt regarding the best clinical and surgical options. Comparisons between limb salvage patients, amputees and controls also require further investigation. Amputation would leave the patients with a lifelong requirement for an external prosthetic leg associated with an overall limited walking distance. While artificial limbs are much more sophisticated than those used in the past, phantom limb sensations remain a substantial and unpredictable problem in the amputee. Complications such as stump overgrowth, bleeding, and infection, also require further elucidation. Limb salvage surgery using endoprosthesis, allografts or reconstruction is performed in approximately 85% of patients affected by osteosarcoma located in the middle and/or distal femur. One drawback in limb-salvage surgery in the long-term survivor is that endoprostheses have a limited life span with long-term prosthetic failure. The inherent high rate of reoperation remains a serious problem. Replacing a damaged, infected or severely worn-out arthroplastic joint or its intramedullary stem is difficult, especially in the long-stem cemented endoprostheses used in the 1980s. Limb lengthening procedures in patients who have not reached maturity must also be addressed. Periprosthetic infections, compared to other indications for joint reconstruction, were found to be more frequent in patients treated for neoplastic conditions and their outcome can be devastating, resulting in total loss of joint function, amputation, and systemic complications. Quality of life in terms of function, psychological outcome and endpoint achievements such as marriage and employment apparently do not differ significantly between amputee and nonamputee osteosarcoma survivors. Amputee patients nonetheless appear to have made satisfactory adjustments to their deficits with or without a functional external prosthesis. It also appeared that amputee patients had a similar psychological and quality of life outcome as limb salvage patients. There was no evidence of excessive anxiety or depression or deficits in self-esteem compared with the normal population or matched controls. A number of long-term survivors also achieved high ranking in the professional and commercial work place. These positive aspects should be recognized and emphasized to patients and their parents when discussing the outcome.

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Acknowledgements

Dr. Giulia Ottaviani, is the scientific coordinator of the project “Quality of life in long-term osteosarcoma survivors”, Joint Mobility Projects for the Exchange of Researchers, joint declaration after the ninth biennial review meeting on scientific and technological cooperation between the Republic of Italy and the United States of America, Washington, DC, Ministry for Foreign Affairs (MAE), 2008–2010.

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  1. Children’s Cancer Hospital, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 77030-4009, Houston, TX, USA

    Giulia Ottaviani

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  1. Giulia Ottaviani
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  2. Rhonda S. Robert
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  3. Winston W. Huh
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  4. Norman Jaffe
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Correspondence to Giulia Ottaviani .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. MD Anderson Cancer Center, University of Texas, Holcombe Blvd. 1515, Houston, 77030-4095, U.S.A.

    Norman Jaffe

  2. Dept. Medical Oncology, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Ullernschaussee 70, Oslo, 0310, Norway

    Oyvind S. Bruland

  3. Orthopädische Klinik, Olgahospital, Bismarckstraße 8, Stuttgart, 70176, Germany

    Stefan Bielack

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Ottaviani, G., Robert, R.S., Huh, W.W., Jaffe, N. (2009). Functional, Psychosocial and Professional Outcomes in Long-Term Survivors of Lower-Extremity Osteosarcomas: Amputation Versus Limb Salvage. In: Jaffe, N., Bruland, O., Bielack, S. (eds) Pediatric and Adolescent Osteosarcoma. Cancer Treatment and Research, vol 152. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-0284-9_23

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-0284-9_23

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