Prognostic significance of the regional lymph nodes in osteosarcoma.

This study was undertaken to find out if there are any factors of prognostic significance that can help the surgeon in the management of osteogenic sarcoma. One hundred and thirty-nine cases of osteogenic sacrocma were treated during a 30-year period and their survival figures have been analysed with respect to age, sex, extent of disease, previous treatment, and value of lymphadenectomy. We found that patients in whom the lymph nodes were preserved had a better survival as compared to patients in whom the lymph nodes were removed en bloc with the primary tumour. This further supports our contention that the regional lymph nodes have an important role to play in the immune response against osteosarcoma. The experimental work of the cytotoxic action of regional lymph node cells against osteosarcoma cell lines has been studied in our laboratory. The results of this study stimulated us to undertake this retrospective analysis.