[Chemotherapy for osteosarcoma--trends in recent years]

Therapy for osteosarcoma has changed considerably over the last two decades. We reviewed 49 cases of osteosarcoma treated in our department after 1970 and examined the present status of chemotherapy, results and the side effects. We classified the 49 cases according to treatment policy into 4 groups by age. 1) 11 cases before 1977 did not receive systematic therapy with high dose-methotrexate (HD-MTX) and such. 2) 10 cases between 1977 and 1982 were basically given HD-MTX therapy alone. 3) 15 cases between 1977 and 1982 were given preoperative HD-MTX therapy, and cisplatin (CDDP) after surgery, if necessary. 4) After 1988, patients received MTX together with CDDP before surgery and ifosfamide (IFO) or newly developed drugs, if necessary. The results for those treated after 1988 were superior to those for patients treated earlier. Further efforts to develop a more effective therapy are being made, since even present therapies have many problems.