[Ewing's sarcoma of bone in adults: an anatomic-clinical study of 30 cases]

The records of 30 adult patients with Ewing's sarcoma (ES) of bone treated between 1980 and 1990 at the Institut Curie were studied retrospectively; the diagnosis was reevaluated by histological and immunohistochemical analysis, using HNK and anti-neuron specific enolase (NSE) antibodies. The immunohistological analysis disclosed a significant staining of neoplastic cells in only few of our cases and is therefore of limited interest in the diagnosis of ES. Three groups of patients have been considered according to their clinical presentation: axial, peripheric and initial metastatic disease. The global prognosis is poor: the survival rate is 70% after a follow-up period of one year, and 23% after three years. The evolution was severe for patients with pelvic localization and/or initial metastatic disease. In contrast, five of six patients who are currently free of disease after a mean follow-up period of 42 months presented initial peripheric lesion. Four of these six patients were treated by a combination of surgical, chemical and radiation therapies.