Bone Sarcoma: Treatment by Irradiation, Amputation, or a Combination of the Two

Abstract

A retrospective survey of all cases of osteosarcoma of the femur and tibia treated at the major centres in the United Kingdom during 1952–9 was carried out in an attempt to assess the respective value of treatment by surgery and radiotherapy and the feasibility of a larger prospective study. Of the 192 patients available for the comparison, those treated by radiotherapy alone did least well. A combination of the two treatments—radiotherapy followed by amputation—produced better results, in terms of survival, than amputation alone; however, the comparatively small numbers involved and the inadequacy of information about the factors dictating the choice of treatment make firm conclusions impossible. A controlled clinical trial on a larger scale might provide answers to the outstanding questions. © 1971, British Medical Journal Publishing Group. All rights reserved.