Physician Data Query (PDQ) Cancer Information summaries
Alphabetical List of PDQ® Adult Cancer Treatment Summaries

Atlas of Genetics and Cytogenetics in Oncology and Haematology Editor: Jean-Loup Huret, Genetics DIM, University Hospital, F-86021 Poitiers, France

Present achievements in the field of soft tissue tumors are the result of advances in molecular biology, oncogenetics, imaging techniques, immunochemistry, diagnosis by fine-needle aspiration, surgical reconstruction, radiation therapy, and tissue banking. Benign soft tissue tumors are fairly common and are treated with surgery alone. Prior to the 1970s, surgery was the primary therapy for malignant soft tissue tumors, and most patients with high-grade tumors had a poor prognosis and a significant mortality rate. Since the mid-1970s, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and advanced surgical techniques have helped increase long-term survival and decrease the need for ablative surgery. Future advances in molecular oncology may further improve diagnostic, prognostic, and treatment protocols for patients with soft tissue sarcomas.

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Database of clinical trials maintained by US National Institute of Health

J Orthop Surg (Hong Kong). 2001 Dec;9(2):19-22 Clayer M, Bouralexis S, Evdokiou A, Hay S, Atkins GJ, Findlay DM. The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Adelaide, Australia.
Soft tissue sarcomas are less responsive to conventional chemotherapy when compared to bone sarcomas. We investigated the possibility of enhancing the efficacy of chemotherapy by utilising the recently identified cytokine, tumour necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL/Apo2L) in combination with standard chemotherapeutic agents. Fresh human soft tissue sarcomas (rhabdomyosarcoma, fibrosarcoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma) were obtained at biopsy and dispersed tumour cells were incubated in cell culture with standard cytotoxic agents, either as single agents or in combination with TRAIL. The chemotherapeutic agents were, at best, moderately effective, in terms of induction of cellular apoptosis, although the fibrosarcoma was completely unresponsive to all single agents. TRAIL alone had no effect on any sarcoma cell culture. In contrast, the addition of TRAIL and drug together produced a significant increase in sarcoma cell apoptosis, with TRAIL and doxorubicin the most effective combination.

Patient Oriented. Links to pages on causes, early detection and treatment

Patient oriented. Links to causes, detection and treatment

Definition Limb salvage surgery is a type of surgery primarily performed to remove bone and soft-tissue cancers occurring in limbs in order to avoid amputation. Encyclopedia of Surgery: A Guide for Patients and Caregivers Expert

Although tumors of the hand are rather common, most are benign and only 1-2% are malignant. When evaluating a hand lesion, be judicious and maintain a high index of suspicion for malignancy. Malignant hand tumors are complex and challenging entities for the hand surgeon.
Beckert & Concannon

Heterotopic Bone Formation/Ossification (HO)

Background: Imaging is an integral part of the diagnosis, staging and evaluation of outcomes for bone and soft-tissue neoplasms. Each of the available imaging tools has a different role. Methods: The authors reviewed the efficacy of the current imaging modalities in the diagnosis, staging, and follow-up of patients with musculoskeletal neoplasia. Results: Plain-film radiography remains the gold standard in the differential diagnosis of bone lesions. Bone scintigraphy is an excellent screening modality, and computed tomography is especially useful in evaluating lesions of the axial skeleton. The superior soft-tissue resolution and multiplanar capabilities achieved with magnetic resonance imaging, however, has replaced the need for CT scans in many cases. Conclusions: The technological advances seen in recent years in all areas of imaging have improved the capabilities of these modalities to assist in the diagnosis, definition of tumor extent, and accurate staging of musculoskeletal tumors.
from Cancer Control: Journal of the Moffitt Cancer Center
Timothy G. Sanders, MD, and Theodore W. Parsons III, MD, FACS, Departments of Radiology (TGS) and Orthopaedics (TWP) at the Wilford Hall Medical Center and the University of Texas at San Antonio. (Full text)

Illustrated cases from the experience of Dr Vinod Naneria, Indore, MP, India
Cases include synovial chondromatosis, fibromatosis, haemangiomas, Osteochondritis dissecans, Multiple Myeloma, Osteoid Osteoma, Osteochondroma, Lipoma, Fibroma, Non-ossifying Fibroma, Fibrous cortical defects, Paget Disease, Osteogenesis Imperfecta, Osteopetrosis, Hyperparathyroidism, Neurofibromatosis, Neurilemoma

J Orthop Surg (Hong Kong). 2005 Apr;13(1):58-63 Leow AM, Halim AS, Wan Z. Reconstructive Sciences Department, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia
PURPOSE: To review the role of free tissue transfer in reconstructive surgery following resection of high-grade soft-tissue sarcomas of the lower limb.
CONCLUSION: Tissue transfer allows early adjuvant therapy facilitating the multimodal approach for the high-grade soft-tissue sarcomas of the lower extremity.

J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1983 May;65(3):299-307
Sarcoma complicating Paget's disease of bone. A clinicopathological study of 62 cases.Schajowicz F, Santini Araujo E, Berenstein M. Out of 21 900 cases filed at the Latin-American Registry of Bone Pathology between April 1940 and July 1981, there were 987 with Paget's disease (4.51 per cent); 62 of these (6.28 per cent) were complicated by sarcoma and two were associated with giant-cell tumours of bone (osteoclastoma) without signs of malignancy. There was a slight predominance of men and the ages ranged from 45 to 87 years, with an average of 66 years. The most frequent sites were the femur (23 cases), the humerus (nine), the pelvis (10), and the tibia (nine). The low incidence of vertebral involvement (five cases) is noteworthy and is in sharp contrast to uncomplicated Paget's disease. The most common tumour type was osteosarcoma (39 cases), followed by fibrosarcoma (15 cases); other varieties (chondrosarcoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma and reticulum-cell sarcoma) were much rarer. Most of the sarcomata occurred when the Paget's disease was polyostotic. Tumours often developed simultaneously, or at short time intervals, in the same or different bones; these bones had, in all cases, been affected by Paget's disease. The histological features of the osteosarcomata were characteristic, with large numbers of osteoclast giant cells, alternating with atypical osteoblasts, thus exaggerating the anarchic remodelling process of Paget's disease. The neighbouring areas of the pagetic bone showed an increased number of osteoclasts. These facts suggest a possible pathogenetic relationship between sarcoma and Paget's disease; the possibility of both processes having a viral aetiology is discussed.