Bone sarcoma: success through interdisciplinary collaboration

PURPOSE: Osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma are the most frequent malignant bone tumours of childhood and adolescence. This review summarizes the oncologist’s view of these diseases and their treatment. METHODS: A non-systematic literature review was performed, the personal impressions and experience of the authors is described. RESULTS: Local therapy and chemotherapy, each on their own, will not cure patients with malignant bone sarcomas. Together, they present a highly efficacious combination. While the most effective drugs were defined decades ago, progress since then has been limited. It is hoped that substances shown to be active in relapsed disease will be forwarded into even more efficacious frontline treatments. Good palliative therapy is necessary when cure is no longer an option. CONCLUSION: Close interdisciplinary collaboration is the key to successful treatment of bone sarcomas in paediatric patients.