Mesothelioma | Mesothelioma

... News Age and Other Factors Influence Osteosarcoma Outcomes By Will Boggs, MDNEW YORK MAR 30, 2006 (Reuters Health) - Age, alkaline phosphatase level, tumor volume, and other factors influence the outcomes for osteosarcoma of the extremity treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, according to a report by Italian investigators published in the March 1st issue of Cancer."Optimal treatment is neoadjuvant chemotherapy," Dr.

Gaetano Bacci from Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, told Reuters Health.

"However in some cases (about 10%) with small tumor, especially if located in expendable bones (for instance, fibula), immediate surgery followed by chemotherapy could be better."Dr.

Bacci and colleagues evaluated the influence of several patient- and treatment-related prognostic factors in a series of 789 patients with nonmetastatic osteosarcoma of the extremities treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and followed for at least 5 years.After a follow-up ranging from 5 to 22 years, more than half the patients (n=440) remained continuously event-free, the authors report.

Another 313 had a recurrence, 20 developed a second neoplasm, and 10 patients died.Age of 14 years or younger, elevated serum alkaline phosphatase at presentation, tumor volume 200 mL or more, inadequate surgical margins, and poor histologic response to preoperative chemotherapy each independently predicted a high risk of recurrence, the results indicate.The first recurrences were isolated lung met...

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