The treatment of pulmonary metastasis in osteogenic sarcoma.

The survival times in a control series of 145 cases of osteogenic sarcoma without pulmonary resections including records of pulmonary nodules and surgical wedge excisions, suggest that pulmonary resection is a noteworthy adjunct treatment. The 5-year survival of patients subjected to repeated pulmonary surgery is known for 22 patients who were under the age of 21. Where aggressive pulmonary resections were performed, i.e., repeated thoracotomies, and multiple wedge resections of nodules, a 5-year survival rate of 31 per cent (after date of primary amputation) is noted and compared to a previous study of 145 cases, 121 of which had untreated pulmonary metastases, and at 5 years, only 2 per cent of these patients with metastases were still alive. Lung wedge resection survivals are highly significant statistically although survival with residual disease must be considered in part at least, due to aggressive chemotherapy (i.e., high dose methotrexate with citrovorum rescue in combination with other drugs).