Bone sarcomas

Amounting to only 0.2% of all cancers, bone sarcomas are rare malignant disorders that comprise an extremely heterogenous spectrum of tumors. The most common types include osteosarcoma, Ewing's sarcoma, chondrosarcoma, and malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the bone (MFH-B). Bone sarcomas affect all age groups, and some subtypes are typically diagnosed in adolescents, while others are more frequently encountered in the adult and elderly population. The last 30 years have brought about substantial improvements in survival for patients with osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma, which are mainly attributable to improved chemotherapy regimens. On the other hand, imaging techniques and surgical procedures have made considerable progress, so that limb-sparing surgery can be offered to most patients nowadays. In this review on the treatment of the most common bone sarcomas, we give the reader an outline of the therapeutic options. We present up-to-date information based on published results of international randomized multicenter studies.