[Operative therapy for primary malignant bone tumors (author's transl)]

During the last 20 years, particularly in Europe, high dosage radiation therapy was primarily advocated and secondarily surgical amputation. Today, the earliest possible surgical elimination is considered to be the most sensible. This need not necessarily take the form of a mutilating procedure since, on the basis of American statistics, the results of resection procedures can be considered to be equally good. In each case, the diagnosis must be histologically clarified by biopsy before drastic surgery. In the context of a plan of therapy which is individually discussed among surgeons, radiation therapists and internists, additional tasks such as metastasectomy and stabilizing procedures in tumor-induced fractures fall to the surgeon. While it is still too early for a survey, we nevertheless hope that the positive aspects of combined therapy in our individual cases will increasingly benefit the total number of patients with malignant bone tumors - even if only in the form of a prolongation of life with less symptoms.