Aims

Venous tumour thrombus (VTT) is a rare finding in osteosarcoma. Despite the high rate of VTT in osteosarcoma of the pelvis, there are very few descriptions of VTT associated with extrapelvic primary osteosarcoma. We therefore sought to describe the prevalence and presenting features of VTT in osteosarcoma of both the pelvis and the limbs.

Aim. Preoperative serum CRP has been identified as an independent predictor in various malignancies. For osteosarcoma, however, the value of serological markers is unreliable. Aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic power of preoperative CRP in patients with osteosarcoma. Method. Out of our prospective database, 87 patients with osteosarcoma (43 female, 44 male with an average age of 20.4 years) have been identified with complete documentation of peri-operative CRP-levels, a minimum two year follow-up and after exclusion of concomitant infection, smoking-history or cardio-vascular disease. Pre-operative CRP before tumour resection was correlated with clinical and pathological factors, overall survival and infection rates in an uni- and multi-variate statistical model with and without landmark analysis. Results. Mean pre-operative serum CRP was 0.73mg/dL (range 0.0 to 8.5) and significantly correlated with overall survival, age at time of operation and histological subtype, but not with sex, tumour grading, response to chemotherapy, recurrent disease or post-operative infection in uni-variate analysis. Patients with CRP <1mg/dL had a five year overall survival of 70% compared to 43% for patients with CRP >1mg/dL (p=0.023). In multi-variate analysis both age and pre-operative CRP had an independent significant influence on overall survival. The hazard ratio for patients with elevated levels of CRP was 1.252. In a subgroup analysis of 60 patients with endoprosthetic replacement, pre-operative CRP was no significant predictor for deep prosthetic infection and infection was no significant predictor for overall survival with and without landmark-analysis though patients with infection showed lower levels of CRP. However, this difference was not significant. Conclusion. Pre-operative serum CRP is an independent prognostic factor for overall survival of patients with osteosarcoma, but not for infection. Its role in predicting response to established chemotherapies, as well as the controversially discussed impact of infection on survival will remain subject of multi-centre investigations

Aim. To report late development of sarcomas on sites of previously curetted and grafted benign tumours. Rare cases of development of sarcomas in sites of previous benign lesions are documented, and the development is generally considered secondary to progression of benign lesions, even without radiotherapy. Methods and Results. In our files, 12 cases curetted and grafted, without radiotherapy addition developed sarcomas from 6 to 28 years from curettage (median 18). Age at first diagnosis (9 GCT, 1 benign fibrous histiocytoma, ABC and solitary bone cyst) ranged from 13 to 55 (median 30). For all cases radiographic and clinic documentation was available. Histology was available for 7 of the benign lesions and for all malignant lesions. The type of bone used to fill cavities was autoplastic in 4 cases, homoplastic in 2 cases, homoplastic and tricalciumphosphate/hydrossiapatite in 1 case, autoplastic and homoplastic in 1 cases, heteroplastic in 1 case. In 3 cases the origin was not reported. Secondary sarcomas, all high grade, were 8 OS, 3 MFH, and 1 fibrosarcoma. Conclusions. It is impossible to calculate the exact incidence of this transformation, but from a comparison with 137 secondary sarcomas treated in the same years (1975-2005) at the Rizzoli Institute, it is similar to the risk of a sarcoma on fibrous dysplasia or lower than a sarcoma on bone infarcts or on Paget's disease. Recurrence with progression from benign tumours can occur, but the very long intervals reported in the present series suggest a possible different pathogenesis. Recent preclinical papers report development of sarcoma in mice after transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells, independently from the type of scaffold used. The fact that reparative proliferative changes occuring in the area of dead bone, with stimulation of mesenchymal stem cells, could cause malignant transformation, is a new hypothesis

Aims

Hydroxyapatite (HA)-coated collars have been shown to reduce aseptic loosening of massive endoprostheses following primary surgery. Limited information exists about their effectiveness in revision surgery. The aim of this study was to radiologically assess osteointegration to HA-coated collars of cemented massive endoprostheses following revision surgery.

Objectives

As tumours of bone and soft tissue are rare, multicentre prospective collaboration is essential for meaningful research and evidence-based advances in patient care. The aim of this study was to identify barriers and facilitators encountered in large-scale collaborative research by orthopaedic oncological surgeons involved or interested in prospective multicentre collaboration.

Objective

Clinical studies of patients with bone sarcomas have been challenged by insufficient numbers at individual centres to draw valid conclusions. Our objective was to assess the feasibility of conducting a definitive multi-centre randomised controlled trial (RCT) to determine whether a five-day regimen of post-operative antibiotics, in comparison to a 24-hour regimen, decreases surgical site infections in patients undergoing endoprosthetic reconstruction for lower extremity primary bone tumours.

Pathological fractures of the humerus are associated with pain, morbidity, loss of function and a diminished quality of life. We report our experience of stabilising these fractures using polymethylmethacrylate and non-locking plates. We undertook a retrospective review over 20 years of patients treated at a tertiary musculoskeletal oncology centre. Those who had undergone surgery for an impending or completed pathological humeral fracture with a diagnosis of metastatic disease or myeloma were identified from our database. There were 63 patients (43 men, 20 women) in the series with a mean age of 63 years (39 to 87).

All had undergone intralesional curettage of the tumour followed by fixation with intramedullary polymethylmethacrylate and plating. Complications occurred in 14 patients (22.2%) and seven (11.1%) required re-operation. At the latest follow-up, 47 patients (74.6%) were deceased and 16 (25.4%) were living with a mean follow-up of 75 months (1 to 184). A total of 54 (86%) patients had no or mild pain and 50 (80%) required no or minimal assistance with activities of daily living. Of the 16 living patients none had pain and all could perform activities of daily living without assistance.

Intralesional resection of the tumour, filling of the cavity with cement, and plate stabilisation of the pathological fracture gives immediate rigidity and allows an early return of function without the need for bony union. The patient’s local disease burden is reduced, which may alleviate tumour-related pain and slow the progression of the disease. The cemented-plate technique provides a reliable option for the treatment of pathological fractures of the humerus.

The outcome of tibial allograft reconstruction after resection of a tumour is inconsistent and has a high rate of failure. There are few reports on the use of tibial allografts in children with open growth plates. We performed 21 allograft reconstructions (16 osteoarticular, five intercalary) in 19 consecutive patients between seven and 17 years of age. Two had Ewing’s sarcoma, one an adamantinoma and 16 osteosarcoma, one with multifocal disease.

Five patients have died; the other 14 were free from disease at the time of follow-up. Six surviving patients (eight allograft reconstructions) continue to have good or excellent function at a mean of 59 months (14 to 132). One patient has poor function at 31 months. The other seven patients have a good or excellent function after additional procedures including exchange of the allograft and resurfacing or revision to an endoprosthesis at a mean of 101 months (43 to 198). The additional operations were performed at a mean of 47 months (20 to 84) after the first reconstruction.

With the use of allograft reconstruction in growing children, joints and growth plates may be preserved, at least partially. Although our results remain inconsistent, tibial allograft reconstruction in selected patients may restore complete and durable function of the limb.

A retrospective analysis was performed of eight patients with an open triradiate cartilage, who underwent resection for osteosarcoma and reconstruction of the proximal femur with a hemiarthroplasty, in order to identify changes of acetabular development. An analysis of the centre-edge angle, teardrop-to-medial prosthesis distance, superior joint space, teardrop-to-superior prosthesis distance, degree of lateral translation, and arthritic changes, was performed on serial radiographs. The median age at the time of the initial surgery was 11 years (5 to 14).

All patients developed progressive superior and lateral migration of the prosthetic femoral head. Following hemiarthroplasty in the immature acetabulum, the normal deepening and enlargement of the acetabulum is arrested. The degree of superior and lateral migration of the prosthetic head depends on the age at diagnosis and the length of follow-up.

Between 1992 and 1999, we treated 350 patients with skeletal metastases. A multivariable analysis of the patients was conducted using the Cox proportional hazards model. We identified five significant prognostic factors for survival, namely, the site of the primary lesion, the performance status (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group status 3 or 4), the presence of visceral or cerebral metastases, any previous chemotherapy, and multiple skeletal metastases. The score for each significant factor was derived from the corresponding estimated regression coefficients (natural logarithm of the hazard ratio). The prognostic score was calculated by adding all the scores for individual factors.

The rate of survival was 31% at six months and 11% at one year for the patients with a prognostic score of 6 or more. By contrast, patients with a prognostic score of 2 or less had a rate of survival of 98% at six months and 89% at one year. This scoring system can be used to determine the optimal treatment for patients with pathological fractures or epidural compression.