[Clinical features and treatment of osteogenic sarcoma of the jaws]

24 patients with osteogenic sarcomas of the jaws were entered in a retrospective study. 79.2% of the cases had local relapses or distant metastases, usually within the first 2 years following surgery. With primary surgical treatment the 5 year disease free survival rates in cases with maxillary manifestations ranged at 22.1% and with mandibular sarcomas at 18.2%. Thus, prognosis for osteogenic sarcomas of the jaws is to be assessed as being no more favorable than for sarcomas of the extremities. A review of the literature shows that aggressive pro- and postoperative chemotherapy must be postulated apart from radical tumor resection to improve the survival rates.