A Strategic Adjuvant Therapy of Osteosarcoma

Summary

Twenty-one patients with osteogenic sarcoma of the limbs were treated with an early combination of 1,750 rad whole lung irradiation, alternate cyclic chemotherapy with high-dose methotrexate, vincristine, mitomycin C, adriamycin, immidazol carbox- amide (DTIC), cyclophosphamide, and intercalated immuno-BCG. The primary lesion was treated either by amputation or an 8,000 rad irradiation. Patients have been followed up for 6–29 months. Three patients relapsed, respectively, after 8,11, and 22 months. All three patients had a long delay in completing the first part of treatment (first cycles A and B and lung irradiation). The 18 other patients are disease-free. Local relapses have not been observed. The toxicity of this protocol appears to be acceptable, but a longer follow-up is necessary to more precisely discern the efficacy and tolerance of the lung to this combined treatment.

French-American Cooperation on Cancer

For the GETO-EORTC Working Party. Participating members: P. Cappelaere, P. Fumoleau, B. Le Mevel, D. Guerin, R. Hansen, D. Liegey-Bagarry, X. Meyer, G. Mathe, A. Mazabraud, R. Metz, J. Stines, G. Meynard, B. Serrou, A. Trifaud, M. Verhaeghe, and R. Wallaert