Osteosarcoma (continued)

Many of the medications used in chemotherapy also carry the risk of both short-term and long-term problems. Short-term effects include anemia, abnormal bleeding, and increased risk of infection due to destruction of the bone marrow, as well as kidney damage and menstrual irregularities. Some drugs carry a risk of bladder inflammation and bleeding into the urine, hearing loss, and liver damage. Others may cause heart and skin problems. Years after chemotherapy for osteosarcoma, patients have an increased risk of developing other cancers.

Chances for a Cure

Recent studies have reported that survival rates of 60% to 80% are possible for osteosarcoma that hasn't spread beyond the tumor, depending on the success of chemotherapy.

Osteosarcoma that has spread cannot always be treated as successfully. Also, a child whose osteosarcoma is located in an arm or leg generally has a better prognosis than one whose disease involves the ribs, shoulder blades, spine, or pelvic bones.

New Treatments

Treatments are being developed and researched with new chemotherapy drugs. Other research is focused on the role certain growth factors might play in the development of osteosarcoma. This research may be used to develop new medications to slow these growth factors as a way to treat the cancer.

For osteosarcomas that cannot be removed surgically, studies are now underway to test treatments that use new combinations of chemotherapy and localized, high-dose radiation.

Reviewed by: Mihir Thacker, MD
Date reviewed: January 2008
Originally reviewed by: Donna Patton, MD