Redefined role of radiation in combined treatment of Ewing's sarcoma.

Eighty-six patients with Ewing's sarcoma were analyzed as to the role of radiation therapy. Fifty-eight patients (P group) had removal of the involved part of the bone after preoperative chemotherapy, and 28 (NP group) had local treatment either at the same time or before chemotherapy. Thirty-six of 58 P-group patients (61%) and 13 of the 28 NP-group patients (48%) are alive. Five of 48 patients in P-group, who had postoperative radiation, had local recurrence, as did 6 of 11 without postoperative radiation, a statistically significant difference (p = 0.001).