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← Osteosarcoma and Undifferentiated Pleomorphic Sarcoma of Bone

HEALTH PROFESSIONAL · SOURCE READING

Radiation therapy

Source: Osteosarcoma and Undifferentiated Pleomorphic Sarcoma of Bone Treatment (PDQ®)–Health Professional Version, National Cancer Institute.

Source updated: December 2, 2024 · Captured 2026-09-09.

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Context: Treatment of Localized Osteosarcoma and UPS of Bone / Treatment Options for Localized Osteosarcoma and UPS of Bone

If complete surgical resection is not feasible or if surgical margins are inadequate, radiation therapy may improve the local control rate.[45,46]; [47][Level of evidence C1] Radiation therapy should be considered in patients with osteosarcoma of the head and neck who have positive or uncertain resection margins.[48][Level of evidence C1]

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Evidence (radiation therapy for local control):

While it is accepted that the standard approach is primary surgical resection, a retrospective analysis of a small group of highly selective patients reported long-term EFS with external-beam radiation therapy for local control in some patients.[49][Level of evidence C1]

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Investigators from a single institution reported on 28 children and young adults with osteosarcoma who were treated with radiation therapy for local control. Sixteen patients received radiation therapy during the primary treatment course, and 12 patients received radiation therapy as part of therapy after recurrence.[50]

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Investigators from a single institution reported on 28 children and young adults with osteosarcoma who were treated with radiation therapy for local control. Sixteen patients received radiation therapy during the primary treatment course, and 12 patients received radiation therapy as part of therapy after recurrence.[50]

For patients who received radiation therapy during primary treatment, the cumulative incidence of local failure at 5 years was 25%.

Investigators from a single institution reported on 28 children and young adults with osteosarcoma who were treated with radiation therapy for local control. Sixteen patients received radiation therapy during the primary treatment course, and 12 patients received radiation therapy as part of therapy after recurrence.[50]

For patients with recurrent disease, the cumulative incidence of local failure at 5 years was 44%.

Investigators from a single institution reported on 28 children and young adults with osteosarcoma who were treated with radiation therapy for local control. Sixteen patients received radiation therapy during the primary treatment course, and 12 patients received radiation therapy as part of therapy after recurrence.[50]

Local tumor progression was observed in 3 of 13 patients (23%) who were treated with adjuvant radiation therapy after resection, while three of six patients (50%) who received definitive radiation therapy as a sole modality of local control experienced local progression.

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Preserved source evidence · Not medical advice