Treatment of malignant bone tumor: limb salvage surgery using metallic tumor prosthesis

Author: Hwan Seong CHO ¹ ; Heesoo HAN ; Jisoo YOON
Author Information

1. Department of Orthopedics, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea
Publication Type:Focused Issue Of This Month
From:Journal of the Korean Medical Association 2020;63(8):471-476
CountryRepublic of Korea
Abstract: Recently, most bone cancers have shown a dismal prognosis even though they were managed with amputation. In the 1970s, anticancer drugs began to be used for bone tumor treatment as adjuvant agents, with the hope of survival improvement, while keeping the limb preserved. The 5-year survival of osteosarcoma patients increased up to 70% with anticancer chemotherapy and limb-salvage surgery. Limb salvage surgery includes all surgical procedures performed to accomplish resection of a malignant bone tumor and reconstruction of the skeletal system with an acceptable oncological and functional outcome. Currently, surgeons can choose a variety of reconstruction methods, including osteoarticular allograft, allograft-prosthesis composite, and metallic tumor endoprosthesis. However, complication rates are still high. The advancement of implant technology, adjuvant chemotherapy, and radiologic imaging modality has contributed to the evolution of limb salvage surgery. Nevertheless, there are still many barriers that have yet to be addressed to move further.