Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 26, 2026
Establishment of Cancer Stem Cell Cultures from Human Conventional Osteosarcoma
Published on: October 14, 2016
Head and neck osteosarcoma in adults: the province of alberta experience over 26 years
Gerhard F Huber1, Peter Dziegielewski, T Wayne Matthews
1Department of Otolaryngology, Frauenklinikstrasse 24, CH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland. gerry.huber@usz.ch
Objective:
The goal of this study was to describe the incidence, treatment, and outcomes of osteosarcomas in the head and neck over 26 years in the province of Alberta, Canada.
Design:
Retrospective analysis of 14 patients identified and treated in Alberta between 1974 and 1999. Overall and disease-specific survival were the most important outcomes of interest.
Results:
The average age was 43 years. The maxilla was the most common primary site. The majority of the patients received surgical treatment in combination with adjuvant chemotherapy. Disease-specific survival was 42% at 2 years and 30.1% at 5 years. Four patients developed osteosarcomas in the field of previous radiation.
Conclusions:
Osteosarcoma of the head and neck is very aggressive. In our series, mostly high-grade malignancy affected a middle-aged population. Surgical resection is difficult owing to anatomic restraints, and adjuvant chemotherapy should be considered in most patients. The series is notable for the poor outcome, with a 5-year actuarial survival of 30%. This may reflect the lack of a standardized treatment protocol.
