Some Observations on the Treatment of Bone Sarcoma

Abstract

I WISH to convey to you some observations I have made and some lessons I have learned, due, probably, more to my failures than my successes, in treating sarcoma of the bones during the past 25 years. Some practical point may suggest itself which may be helpful in treating similar cases in the future. We must admit that we have made no remarkable progress during the past few years, either by surgery or radiotherapy, in treatment of this malignant form of tumors. Statistics still show a too frequent recurrence and a remarkably small number of five-year cures. In 1910 Dr. Joseph C. Bloodgood, who has given the subject unlimited study, pointed out that only 4 per cent of the periosteal sarcomas survived the five-year period. Forty-two of the 52 cases of bone sarcoma died within one year, the fatality being mainly due to the early metastases in the lung. Whenever metastases in the lung occur, the case may be regarded as hopeless, because metastases are usually spread through the entire lung structure. Somewhat...