Comparison of the Results of Patients Treated With Limb-Sparing Treatment Options in Malignant Bone Tumors: Sharing the Experience of Twelve Bicentric Patients

Objectives: Extremity-sparing surgery should be the main objective if a functional extremity is to be obtained in cases of malignant bone tumors. After extensive resection, numerous techniques have been described to reconstruct bone defects. This study aimed to compare the outcomes of patients who underwent external radiation therapy and liquid nitrogen biological reconstruction at two different facilities. Methods: The study included 12 patients who received biological reconstruction therapy for bone sarcoma and had at least two years of follow-up. Demographic data, pathological diagnosis, presence of systemic metastasis, and recurrence during follow-up were among the information logged. Patients who used liquid nitrogen were placed in group 1, and those who underwent external irradiation were placed in group 2. After being contacted for their final follow-up appointments, the outcomes were compared by recording the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society Score (MSTSS). Results: For participants with a mean age of 10.75±3.6 (5-17), the follow-up period was 30.2±16.3 months in total. In contrast to the patients in group 1, who experienced union on average after 7.5±1.2 months, those in group 2 experienced union after 7.6±1.1 months. Patients in group 1 had an MSTSS of 75.5±11.8%, while those in group 2 had a score of 77±4.4. There was no discernible difference between the two groups' union times (p>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups' MSTSS (p>0.05). Conclusion: After tumor resection, extracorporeal radiation therapy and the application of liquid nitrogen are still useful treatment options and neither of them is superior to the other.