Malignant fibrous histiocytoma of bone - Review of thirteen cases

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma of bone (MFHB) constitutes 0.5-8% of all malignant primary bone tumours. It has a poor prognosis when treated with surgery alone. Chemosensitivity of this tumour entity with increased disease-free survival rates has been reported. We reviewed the treatment of patients with MFHB at Hannover University Medical School since 1982. Thirteen patients were diagnosed with MFHB, nine had localized and four metastatic disease. All patients have been treated with surgery, except two patients who received radiation treatment. Additionally, eleven patients underwent different chemotherapy regimens mainly including anthracyclines in neoadjuvant (n=5) or palliative (n=6) settings. At a median follow up of 35 months (range, 14-134+) six patients (46%) are alive and four of these patients have no evidence of disease (31%). This report confirms the chemosensivity of MFHB and neoadjuvant treatment approaches may be warranted in these patients.