This information represents the views of the doctors and nurses serving on the American Cancer Society's Cancer Information Database Editorial Board. These views are based on their interpretation of studies published in medical journals, as well as their own professional experience.

The treatment information in this document is not official policy of the Society and is not intended as medical advice to replace the expertise and judgment of your cancer care team. It is intended to help you and your family make informed decisions, together with your doctor.

Your doctor may have reasons for suggesting a treatment plan different from these general treatment options. Don't hesitate to ask him or her questions about your treatment options.

Great advances have been made in the treatment of osteosarcoma during the last 30 years. In the 1960s the only treatment available was amputation. Depending on the stage of their disease, only 5% to 20% of patients survived 2 years or more after diagnosis.

Since that time, doctors have discovered that chemotherapy given before and after surgery will cure many people with osteosarcoma. It may also allow some people who previously would have needed to have the affected limb amputated to have limb-sparing surgery instead.

Many chemotherapy drugs have been tested in clinical trials to find the most effective ones and the best ways to combine chemotherapy with surgery. Now, the overall 5-year survival rate for patients with non-metastatic osteosarcoma is more than 70%. For patients whose cancers respond well to chemotherapy (based on an examination of the removed tumor after treatment that shows most or all of the cancer cells have been killed), the survival rate is even better (about 80% to 90%). The 5-year survival rate for patients whose cancers have already metastasized at the time of their diagnosis is about 30%. However, survival is better in people with one or only a few lung lesions that can be surgically removed, than in patients with more extensive metastatic disease.

After an osteosarcoma is found and staged, the cancer care team will suggest a treatment plan. This is an important decision. It is vital to take time and think about all of the choices. Because osteosarcoma is rare, only doctors in major cancer centers have much experience in treating these patients.

For children, a team approach is recommended that includes the child's pediatrician as well as specialists (such as pediatric oncologists and orthopedic surgeons) at the cancer center. For adults with osteosarcoma, the team would include :

• the patient's family doctor or general internist

• a medical oncologist (a doctor who is specially trained to diagnose and treat cancer with chemotherapy and other drugs)

• a radiation oncologist (a doctor specially trained to treat cancer patients with radiation)

• a pathologist (a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and classifying diseases by laboratory tests such examining tissue and cells under a microscope)

• an orthopedic surgeon (a surgeon who specializes in diseases and injuries of the muscles and bones) experienced in bone tumors

In both cases, the team would also include other doctors, nurses, rehabilitation therapists, and technologists who have essential roles in diagnosing and treating the disease and assisting in recovery of normal activity after surgery.

Last Medical Review: 01/14/2009
Last Revised: 01/14/2009