Chemotherapy of advanced sarcomas of bone and soft tissue

The chemotherapeutic approach to advanced sarcomas of bone and soft tissue is reviewed. The most active single agents against osteosarcoma are doxorubicin (overall response rate, 21%), methotrexate (30% to 40%), cisplatin (25%), and ifosfamide (28%). Current multimodality treatment for Ewing's sarcoma consists of combination chemotherapy with doxorubicin, vincristine, and cyclophosphamide (or ifosfamide in current trials) prior to and concurrent with radiation therapy for the involved bone. In soft tissue sarcomas, doxorubicin is the most active single agent, with overall response rates ranging from 15% to 35%. Dacarbazine has a single-agent response rate of 16%. Ifosfamide has documented activity in sarcoma patients who have failed treatment with doxorubicin-containing regimens. The combination regimen currently producing the highest response rates in soft-tissue sarcomas is doxorubicin/dacarbazine/ifosfamide. Doxorubicin and dacarbazine should be administered by continuous infusion to reduce the severity of nausea and vomiting and the risk of cardiotoxicity. Ifosfamide can be given by continuous infusion or in divided doses with mesna to mitigate urothelial toxicity.