Treatment Of Primary Bone Tumors Research Articles

Delay in Diagnosis and Treatment of Primary Bone Tumors

Background. Delay in the diagnosis and treatment of bone tumors continues to be a common problem. Prolonged diagnosis can significantly reduce the chances of successful treatment of the disease. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to assess the delay in the diagnosis of primary bone tumors, identify the most common symptoms and analyze the course of the diagnostic and therapeutic path.Material and methods. Thirty-two (K=18; M=14) patients treated surgically for primary bone tumors were included in the retrospective study. Patient records were analyzed. Delay in diagnosis was defined as the time from the onset of symptoms to the initial diagnosis and referral to an orthopedic oncology center.Results. The median delay in diagnosis was 7 (3-12) months. For tumors located in the pelvis, the delay was 10 months, compared to 5 months for the upper limb and 7 months for the lower limb (p=0.2312). The delay was 6 months In patients with osteosarcoma, and 8 months in chondrosarcoma patients (p=0.1786). At the first office visit, an x-ray was ordered in 19 cases (59.4%), of whom 9 patients (47.4%) were referred on to the oncology center. The most common symptoms were pain in the affected area (90.6%), limited mobility (28.1%) and pathological fracture (25%). After admission to an orthopedic department, a biopsy was performed after 5.5 (3-8.2) days. The histology results were ready after another 14 (8-18) days, and surgical treatment was performed after 95 (76-100) days.Conclusions. 1. Although patients show typical symptoms of bone tumors, only a small proportion are referred directly to an oncology center. After a primary bone tumor is suspected, further diagnostic and therapeutic activities proceed efficiently, in accordance with the current guidelines.

Delay in Diagnosis and Treatment of Primary Bone Tumors during COVID-19 Pandemic in Poland.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all of the medical specialties, including orthopedic oncology. Therefore, the aim of the study was to assess how it influenced the diagnostic and therapeutic processes for patients with bone neoplasms. We evaluated 87 patients treated due for bone neoplasms before (Group I, n = 36) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (Group II, n = 51). A delay in diagnosis was defined as the period between the initial clinical symptoms and the date of referral to an oncology center. The patients from Group II were asked to complete a short questionnaire regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. The median general delay in diagnosis before the pandemic was 7 months, while during the pandemic, it was 10 months (p = 0.728). The biopsy delay was lower in the pre-pandemic group: median-6.5 vs. 12 days (p = 0.025). The patients from Group II were diagnosed with larger tumors compared to those in Group I: the median values were 75 vs. 56 mm (p = 0.025), respectively. After an X-ray examination, the bone neoplasms were suspected more frequently in the Group II: 63% vs. 44% cases (p = 0.024), respectively. In Group II, 20 (60.8%) cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection were reported, however, no respiratory failure cases were noticed. The pandemic affected the diagnostic process of primary bone tumors, resulting in delays in performing biopsies. During the pandemic, the patients reported larger diameters of their bone lesions.

Principles of orthopedic treatment for malignant bone tumors in children

Primary bone sarcomas are not frequent entities, but constitute important issue especially in pediatric population. Advances in chemotherapy and diagnostic modalities allowed limb saving resections of malignant bone tumors became leading surgical option. To be successful the treatment of primary bone tumors should be conducted in dedicated centers by experienced team of specialists. Nevertheless, the rules of such treatment should be known widely to improve diagnosis, medical care over oncologic patient and communication between specialists. In this review paper the authors present current rules of surgical approach to bony malignancies in children and adolescents.

The blood pressure and use of tourniquet are related to local recurrence after intralesional curettage of primary benign bone tumors: a retrospective and hypothesis-generating study

AimsIntralesional curettage is a commonly used treatment for primary bone tumors. However, local recurrence of tumors after curettage remains a major challenge.Questions(1) Is blood pressure related to local recurrence after intralesional curettage for benign or intermediate bone tumors? (2) What’s the impact of tourniquet usage on the risk of recurrence from high blood pressure?MethodsThis retrospective study evaluated patients receiving intralesional curettage for primary bone tumors from January 2011 to January 2015. A total of 411 patients with a minimum five-year follow-up were included for analysis. Demographic and disease-related variables were first assessed in univariable analyses for local recurrence risk. When a yielded p-value was < 0.2, variables were included in multivariable analyses to identify independent risk factors for local recurrence. Patients were then stratified by tourniquet usage (use/non-use), and risk from high blood pressure was evaluated in both subgroups.ResultsAt an average follow-up of 6.8 ± 1.0 years, 63 of 411 patients (15.3%) experienced local recurrence. In multivariable analyses, local recurrence was associated with age (OR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.94–0.99; p = 0.005); tumor type; lesion size (> 5 cm: OR, 3.58; 95% CI, 1.38–9.33; p = 0.009); anatomical site (proximal femur: OR, 2.49; 95% CI, 1.21–5.15; p = 0.014; proximal humerus: OR, 3.34; 95% CI, 1.61–6.92; p = 0.001); and preoperative mean arterial pressure (> 110 mmHg: OR, 2.61; 95% CI, 1.20–5.67; P = 0.015). In subgroup analyses, after adjusting for age, tumor type, lesion size, and anatomical site, tourniquet use modified the preoperative mean arterial pressure - recurrence relationship: when tourniquet was not used, preoperative mean arterial pressure predicted local recurrence (95–110 mmHg, 4.13, 1.42–12.03, p = 0.009; > 110 mmHg, 28.06, 5.27–149.30, p < 0.001); when tourniquet was used, preoperative mean arterial pressure was not related to local recurrence (all p values > 0.05).ConclusionsA high preoperative blood pressure was related to local recurrence after intralesional curettage for primary bone tumors in our study. Tourniquet usage and controlling blood pressure might be beneficial for reducing local recurrence in patients scheduled to receive intralesional curettage for primary bone tumor treatment.Level of evidenceLevel IV, hypothesis-generating study.

3D-Printed Titanium Custom-Made Prostheses in Reconstruction after Pelvic Tumor Resection: Indications and Results in a Series of 14 Patients at 42 Months of Average Follow-Up.

Wide resection is currently considered the mainstay treatment for primary bone tumors. When the tumor is located in anatomically complex segments, 3D-Printed Titanium Custom-Made Prostheses (3DPTCMP) are possible reconstructive solutions. The aim of the present paper is to analyze indications, results and complications of a series of 14 patients who underwent pelvis reconstruction with 3DPTCMP after tumor removal from January 2015 to December 2019. Chondrosarcoma was the main histology; indications were tumors located in the acetabular area without enough residual bone to support a cup with an iliac stem, and tumors located near the sacrum-iliac joint. The margins were wide in 12 cases, and marginal and intralesional in one case each. In three cases, resection also included the sacrum-iliac joint, so a spine stabilization was performed and linked to the pelvic prosthesis; The average MSTS score was 46.3%; the 5-year local recurrence-free survival was 85.7%. Wound dehiscences were the main complication, resolved with multiple debridements; nevertheless, prosthesis removal was necessary in one case. Currently, the 3DPTCMP is an effective resource for reconstruction after resection of tumors located in the pelvis. Further studies are necessary to value long-term results; more strategies are necessary to try to reduce the infection rate and improve osteointegration.

Upfront surgical resection for primary bone tumors: rationale and potential benefits

Local control for the treatment of primary bone tumors is generally delayed following neoadjuvant chemotherapy. This was born out of the historical need to manufacture custom implants when performing limb-salvage resection. There is increasing reason to reconsider the timing of local control in the setting of primary bone tumors. In this report, we describe two cases in which upfront surgery was utilized and review rationale, prior literature, and potential benefits of this approach.

Perioperative adverse events following surgery for primary bone tumors of the spine and en bloc resection for metastases.

Surgical treatment of primary bone tumors of the spine and en bloc resection for isolated metastases are complex and challenging. Operative care is fraught with complications, though the true incidence and predictors of adverse events (AEs), length of stay (LOS), and mortality in this population remain poorly understood. The primary objective of this study was to describe the incidence and predictors of perioperative AEs in these patients. Secondary objectives included the determination of the incidence and predictors of admission to the intensive care unit (ICU), unanticipated reoperation during the same admission, hospital LOS, and mortality. In this retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data, the authors included consecutive patients at a single quaternary care referral center (January 1, 2009, to September 30, 2018) who underwent either surgery for a primary bone tumor of the spine or an en bloc resection for an isolated spinal metastasis. Information on perioperative AEs, demographic data, primary tumor histology, neurological status, surgical variables, pathological margins, Enneking appropriateness, LOS, ICU stay, reoperation during the same admission period, and in-hospital mortality was collected prospectively in the institutional database. The modified frailty score was extracted retrospectively. One hundred thirteen patients met the inclusion criteria: 98 with primary bone tumors and 15 with isolated metastases. The cohort was 59% male, and the mean age was 49 years (SD 19 years). Overall, 79% of the patients experienced at least 1 AE. The median number of AEs per patient was 2 (IQR 0-4 AEs), and the median LOS was 16 days (IQR 9-32 days). No in-hospital deaths occurred in the cohort. Thirty-two patients (28%) required an ICU stay and 19% underwent an unanticipated second surgery during their admission. A longer surgical duration was associated with a higher likelihood of AEs (OR 1.21/hour, 95% CI 1.06-1.37, p = 0.005), longer ICU stay (OR 1.35/hour, 95% CI 1 1.20-1.52, p < 0.001), and reoperation (OR 1.001/hour, 95% CI 1.0003-1.003, p = 0.012). Longer hospital LOS was independently predicted by older age, female sex, upper cervical and sacral location of the tumor, surgical duration, preoperative neurological deficit, presence of AEs, and higher modified frailty index score. Surgeries for primary bone tumors and en bloc resection for metastatic tumors are associated with a high incidence of perioperative AEs. Surgical duration predicts complications, reoperation, LOS, and ICU stay.

CRYOSURGERY IN THE TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH BONE TUMORS

A review of the literature shows that surgical procedures will remain the standard treatment for primary bone tumors. Analysis of studies on the assessment of long-term results shows that additional double cryogenic treatment of the curettage cavity can improve the treatment outcomes of patients with giant cell tumors, dysplastic diseases and some forms of malignant lesions. The traditional execution of the procedure is associated with the open installation of liquid nitrogen in the bone cavity, which requires special skills in handling aggressive refrigerant from the staff and does not exclude complications. In case of multiple metastatic bone lesions, surgical treatment is not indicated. The recent emergence in clinical practice of new equipment with a closed liquid nitrogen circulation circuit inside cryoprobes resumes interest in cryoabla-tion of bone tumor lesions using modern minimally invasive puncture cryotechnology and expanding indications for its use in patients with severe comorbidities.

Denosumab: Current Use in the Treatment of Primary Bone Tumors.

Denosumab, a human monoclonal antibody that inhibits bone resorption by binding on the receptor activator of the nuclear factor kappa-β ligand, has recently emerged as an additional option in the treatment of musculoskeletal osteolytic tumors. This article focuses on the recent literature regarding the effectiveness of denosumab in the management of giant cell tumor, multiple myeloma, aneurysmal bone cyst, and osteosarcoma. The mechanism of action of denosumab in the management of these tumors and the associated side effects are discussed in detail. [ Orthopedics. 2017; 40(4):204-210.].

Extravasation reactions associated with the administration of pamidronate: 11 cases (2008-2013).

Pamidronate is a bisphosphonate drug widely utilized in veterinary oncologic practice for the palliation of malignant osteolysis. Pamidronate has not been previously reported to cause tissue injury upon extravasation in dogs. The medical records of 11 client-owned dogs undergoing palliative treatment for primary bone tumors with known or suspected pamidronate extravasation reactions were reviewed. The majority of adverse events were low grade in nature, however in some cases, the reactions were severe and led to euthanasia in one instance. Time to complete resolution of lesions ranged from within several days to greater than one and a half months. Aside from the dog that was euthanized, no long-term sequelae of extravasation were identified. Treatments employed to address the reactions varied widely. Pamidronate extravasation reaction appears to be an uncommon, but potentially serious complication of intravenous administration.

Health-Related Quality of Life After Spine Surgery for Primary Bone Tumour.

Treatment of primary bone tumours (PBT) of the spine is complex, often involving numerous surgical and oncology disciplines. Surgical en bloc resection with oncologically appropriate margins is the modality of choice when treating malignant PBT. En bloc resection with wide or marginal margins appears to offer better local and systemic control of the disease. This type of surgical resection can also be considered when treating benign aggressive tumours such as aneurysmal bone cyst, giant cell tumour and osteoblastoma. Although these surgeries respect oncologic principles, significant morbidity and mortality are associated. Adverse event collection is highly variable in the literature and mostly from retrospective studies. Wound complication, neurologic deficit and significant blood loss are encountered with surgical resection of PBT of the mobile spine and especially, the sacrum. The adverse event profile of these surgeries is high even in experienced quaternary referral centres. Therefore, primary spinal tumour resection is best performed in experienced centre with adequate multidisciplinary support. Furthermore, prospective and systematic adverse event data collection should be developed to ensure accurate data. The impact of such extensive and potentially impairment producing procedures on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is another critically valuable piece of information in the era of shared treatment decision making. At the present time, there is paucity of published data regarding HRQOL following these surgeries. Nonetheless, in theory, it seems that health-related quality of life after surgery for PBT is acceptable given the curative intent of the treatment. However, a decision-making process should be tailored to each patient and his or her expectations. Comprehensive discussions should be held preoperatively with the patient, family and other related allied health professionals if the informed consent and decision-making process is to be optimal.

Preliminary fsLIBS study on bone tumors.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the capability of femtosecond Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (fsLIBS) to discriminate between normal and cancerous bone, with implications to femtosecond laser surgery procedures. The main advantage of using femtosecond lasers for surgery is that the same laser that is being used to ablate can also be used for a feedback system to prevent ablation of certain tissues. For bone tumor removal, this technique has the potential to reduce the number of repeat surgeries that currently must be performed due to incomplete removal of the tumor mass. In this paper, we performed fsLIBS on primary bone tumor, secondary tumor in bone, and normal bone. These tissues were excised from consenting patients and processed through the UC Davis Cancer Center Biorepository. For comparison, each tumor sample had a matched normal bone sample. fsLIBS was performed to characterize the spectral signatures of each tissue type. A minimum of 20 spectra were acquired for each sample. We did not detect significant differences between the fsLIBS spectra of secondary bone tumors and their matched normal bone samples, likely due to the heterogeneous nature of secondary bone tumors, with normal and cancerous tissue intermingling. However, we did observe an increase in the fsLIBS magnesium peak intensity relative to the calcium peak intensity for the primary bone tumor samples compared to the normal bone samples. These results show the potential of using femtosecond lasers for both ablation and a real-time feedback control system for treatment of primary bone tumors.

Chemotherapy for bone sarcomas in adults: the MD anderson experience.

Increasing age is an adverse prognostic factor in the treatment of primary bone tumors. There are few published data on treatment of primary bone tumors in adults. This paper presents data from the Department of Sarcoma Medical Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, summarizing our treatment results. To treat primary osteosarcoma, we used 90 mg/m2 of doxorubicin as a continuous intravenous infusion over 48 to 96 hours and 120 to 160 mg/m2 of cisplatin intravenously or intra-arterially. Initially, we found a marked difference in postoperative continuous disease-free survival (CDFS) between those with 90% or greater (i.e., good response) tumor necrosis and those with less than 90% (i.e., poor response) tumor necrosis. The sequential addition of high-dose methotrexate and ifosfamide to patients with poorly responding disease improved their CDFS to that of patients with good response. Older patients and those who have tumors with variant histology have inferior outcomes. Evaluation of subsequent patients revealed similar outcomes for those with good or poor response to induction therapy, supporting our practice of adaptation of postoperative chemotherapy to the results of preoperative chemotherapy. PET-CT is the best imaging modality to screen for a response with tumors inside bone. To treat Ewing sarcoma, we have employed 2 mg of vincristine, 75 to 90 mg/m2 of doxorubicin as a 72-hour infusion, and 2.5 g/m2 of ifosfamide over 3 hours daily for 4 doses (i.e., vincristine, doxorubicin, and ifosfamide [VAI]). Preliminary analysis indicates a higher CDFS when adjusted for patient age than seen with the standard alternating regimen used in pediatrics. A screening MRI of the pelvis and spine can detect subtle metastatic disease in bone or bone marrow that is missed by other imaging modalities or blind biopsy. Chondrosarcoma is treated surgically or on investigational protocols. Giant cell tumor of bone is usually managed surgically, but multiple options exist for medical treatment, and therapy is individualized with embolization, denosumab, and interferon.

Chondrosarcomas of the Spine: Prognostic Variables for Local Recurrence and Mortality in a Multicenter Study

Introduction Primary spinal chondrosarcomas are rare. Best available evidence consists of small case series, making it difficult to determine optimal management and risk factors for local recurrence and mortality. The application of the Enneking classification in the treatment of primary bone tumors in the appendicular skeleton has led to a longer life expectancy, yet the application of the Enneking system in the treatment of primary bone tumors in the spine has not been widely accepted. Therefore, the aim of this multicenter cohort study was to determine prognostic variables, including application of the Enneking classification, for local recurrence and mortality following surgical intervention for spinal chondrosarcomas. Patients and Methods AOSpine knowledge forum tumor developed a multicenter ambispective database of surgically treated patients with spinal chondrosarcoma. Patient data pertaining to demographics, diagnosis, treatment, cross-sectional survival, and local recurrence were collected. Tumors were classified according to the Enneking classification. Patients were analyzed in the following two different cohorts; Enneking appropriate (EA) and Enneking inappropriate (EI). EA was defined by the final pathology margin matching the Enneking recommended surgical margin and EI by not matching. Results Between 1987 and 2011, 112 patients (mean age at surgery = 47 ± 16 years) underwent surgical treatment for a primary spinal chondrosarcoma. EA surgery was performed in 61 (58%) patients. Overall, 15 patients (25%) suffered a local recurrence in the EA group and 21 (48%) in the EI group. EI approach significantly increased the risk for local recurrence ( p = 0.009). Overall, 38 (34%) patients died during the study period (mean follow-up = 3.6 ± 3.2 years); factors associated with increased overall survival were absence of adjuvant therapy ( p = 0.002), low-grade tumors ( p = 0.051), and involvement of one or two vertebral levels ( p = 0.038). Enneking appropriateness and surgical margin was not significantly associated with survival. Local recurrence was strongly related to mortality, with an odds ratio of 7.4. Conclusion This is the largest multicenter cohort of spinal chondrosarcomas. EI surgical management correlated with increased rates of local recurrence. This robust correlation strongly mandates to surgeons perform an EA resection with disease-free margins for spinal chondrosarcomas.

Appraising the Current Role of Chemotherapy for the Treatment of Sarcoma

Sarcomas are a heterogeneous group of relatively rare mesenchymal neoplasms. They can be grouped into two general categories: soft tissue sarcoma (STS) and primary bone sarcoma, which are treated differently. Because sarcomas are relatively rare and complex with a wide variety of different histopathologic subtypes, evaluation by multidisciplinary teams who have expertise in the field is recommended. Treatment guidelines for the use of chemotherapy in patients with STS and bone sarcoma have been published by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. The role of adjuvant chemotherapy in resected STS remains controversial. Although chemotherapy improves disease-free survival, the long-term overall survival benefit remains unproven. Chemotherapy is typically used as palliative treatment for most subtypes of metastatic STS. In contrast, chemotherapy has a proven role in the treatment of primary bone tumors and Ewing sarcoma, but it has not demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of chondrosarcoma. The standard chemotherapy regimens used in sarcoma are associated with significant toxicity, including long-term complications. Less intense and less toxic regimens are the focus of ongoing clinical research. Newer cytotoxic agents with an improved safety profile, such as trabectedin and palifosfamide, are currently in development. Future research needs to focus on identification of subpopulations of patients that are most likely to benefit from chemotherapy.

Guidelines for histopathological specimen examination and diagnostic reporting of primary bone tumours

This review is intended to provide histopathologists with guidelines for clinical assessment, specimen handling and diagnostic reporting of benign and malignant primary bone tumours. Information from radiology, surgical, oncology and other clinical colleagues involved in the diagnosis and treatment of primary bone tumours should be properly assessed before undertaking a structured approach to specimen handling and histological reporting. This ensures that the information needed for planning appropriate treatment of these complex tumours is provided. Consistency in diagnostic evaluation with respect to both terminology and report content facilitates liaison at multidisciplinary bone tumour meetings and collaboration between cancer units and networks, as well as providing a common database for audit of the clinical, radiological and pathological aspects of bone tumours.

Impact of oncopediatric dosing regimen of zoledronic acid on bone growth: Preclinical studies and case report of an osteosarcoma pediatric patient

Osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma represent the two most frequent primary bone tumors that arise in the pediatric population. Despite recent improvement in their therapeutic management, no improvement in survival rate has been achieved since early 1980 s. Among new therapeutic approaches, bisphosphonates are promising candidates as potent inhibitors of bone resorption. However, their effects on bone growth must be studied at dosing regimen corresponding to pediatric protocols. To this aim, several protocols using zoledronic acid (ZOL) were developed in growing mice (50 µg/kg every 2 days × 10). Parameters of bone remodeling and bone growth were investigated by radiography, micro-computed tomography, histology, and biologic analyses. Extramedullar hematopoiesis was searched for in spleen tissue. A transient inhibitory effect of ZOL was observed on bone length, with a bone-growth arrest during treatment owing to an impressive increase in bone formation at the growth plate level (8- to 10-fold increase in BV/TV). This sclerotic band then shifted into the diaphysis as soon as endochondral bone formation started again after the end of ZOL treatment, revealing that osteoclasts and osteoblasts are still active at the growth plate. In conclusion, endochondral bone growth is transiently disturbed by high doses of ZOL corresponding to the pediatric treatment of primary bone tumors. These preclinical observations were confirmed by a case report in a pediatric patient treated in the French OS2006 protocol over 10 months who showed a growth arrest during the ZOL treatment period with normal gain in size after the end of treatment.

Percutaneous Cementoplasty in the Palliative, Multimodal Treatment of Primary Bone Tumors of the Distal Aspect of the Radius in Four Dogs

To (1) evaluate the analgesic effect of percutaneous cementoplasty (PC) in dogs with primary bone tumor (PBT) of the distal aspect of the radius and (2) evaluate the impact on the course of disease by adding PC to a palliative, multimodal treatment protocol in these dogs. Prospective pilot study. Dogs (n=4) with PBT of the distal aspect of the radius. Tumor lesions were filled percutaneously with polymethylmethacrylate under fluoroscopic guidance. Pamidronate was administered once in a week before PC. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy were initiated 2 and 6 weeks after PC, respectively. Force plate analysis was performed immediately before 2, and 6 weeks after PC. Survival time was defined from PC to euthanasia. Two dogs had a significant increase in peak vertical force 2 weeks after PC (P=.043) and remained free of lameness for 18 and 20 weeks, respectively. One dog had an acute relapse after an initially lame-free period of 10 days. The remaining dog failed to improve (P=.686). Three dogs developed at least 2 complications including transient worsening of the lameness after PC, cement leakage, wound infection and suspected thromboembolism in combination with cough and anemia. Median survival was 4.8 months (range, 1-5.7 months). PC in combination with pamidronate significantly improved lameness in 2 dogs; however, PC is not risk-free. Deep wound infection, intraarticular cement leakage, and venous thrombosis were the main complications. PC might be a useful addition to established palliative, multimodal treatment protocols in dogs with PBT; however, because of the complications encountered PC warrants further study before routine use can be considered.

Combined Massive Allograft and Intramedullary Vascularized Fibula Transfer: The Capanna Technique for Lower-Limb Reconstruction

Limb salvage has now replaced amputation as the standard treatment for primary bone tumors and can usually be offered to more than 85% of patients. Recently, a novel approach to limb salvage has been described by Capanna and colleagues whereby a massive bone allograft and intramedullary vascularized fibula are combined to reconstruct large, segmental bone defects. This produces a structurally competent reconstruction with enhanced vascular and osteogenic capabilities and the potential to achieve lower rates of infection, fracture, and nonunion. The Capanna technique has become a well-established means of long bone reconstruction and limb salvage in cases of large bony resection. The operative technique and reported outcomes of the Capanna technique are reviewed, and cases are presented.

The Use of the Bone Seeking Radiopharmaceutical 153-Samarium-EDTMP as an Adjuvant Treatment for Osteosarcoma: A Review

The use of the bone seeking radiopharmaceutical samarium-153-ethylenediaminetetramethylene phosphonate (153Sm-EDTMP) for the treatment of bone pain secondary to osseous metastatic disease has increased in popularity over the past decade. The success of this treatment has opened new possibilities for the application of this agent as a component of a multi-modality treatment regimen for primary bone tumors. Targeted radiotherapy using 153Sm-EDTMP is currently under investigation for treatment of osteosarcoma. Osteosarcoma often occurs in skeletally immature individuals; however, the overall effects 153Sm-EDTMP on skeletal growth have yet to be determined. This review discusses the use of 153Sm-EDTMP as an adjuvant treatment for primary bone tumors. In addition, preliminary studies have been performed to determine the effects that 153Sm-EDTMP may have on skeletal growth and physeal cartilage development in a juvenile rabbit model and these results are discussed. Keywords: Osteosarcoma, Samarium, juvenile, physeal cartilage