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High Long-term Local Control with Sacrectomy for Primary High-grade Bone Sarcoma in Children

  • Clinical Research
  • Published:
Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research®

Abstract

Background

Sacrectomy may offer curative potential for primary sarcomas of the sacrum. However, it is unclear whether and to what extent sacrectomies achieve local control.

Questions/Purpose

We therefore determined the curative potential, walking ability, continence control, and quality of life for children after sacrectomy for primary bone sarcoma.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed eight children with high-grade primary bone sarcomas treated with sacrectomy. The average age of the patients was 14 years (range, 4–18 years). There were six Ewing sarcomas and two osteosarcomas. Five patients underwent partial and three underwent total sacrectomies with all resection margins free of tumor. We recorded local and distant recurrences, functional (Musculoskeletal Tumor Society [MSTS] score) and oncologic outcome (survival), walking ability, bladder and bowel control, independence, and reintegration in society. The average followup was 80 months (range, 54–204 months).

Results

Six patients were alive without evidence of disease at last followup. Three patients had metastases develop and two died of disease 3 and 25 months postoperative. MSTS scores among survivors averaged 17.5 points (range, 5–25 points). Seven of the eight patients were able to ambulate, two independently. All initially were incontinent, but at last followup, two were continent and two were incontinent only under stress. Complications occurred in seven of eight, five of whom required additional surgery.

Conclusion

Despite the high incidence of neurologic deficits and complications, sacrectomy achieved local control in patients with high-grade bone sarcomas. Our observations suggest long-term survival and adequate quality of life are possible in the pediatric population.

Level of Evidence

Level IV, therapeutic study. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bone and Soft-Tissue Tumors Program, Children’s Orthopaedic Center, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles; Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 4650 W Sunset Blvd., Mailstop #69, Los Angeles, CA, 90027, USA

    Alexandre Arkader MD & Vernon T. Tolo MD

  2. College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA

    Christine H. Yang BA, MS

Authors
  1. Alexandre Arkader MD
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  2. Christine H. Yang BA, MS
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  3. Vernon T. Tolo MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alexandre Arkader MD.

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Each author certifies that he or she, or a member of their immediate family, has no commercial associations (eg, consultancies, stock ownership, equity interest, patent/licensing arrangements, etc) that might pose a conflict of interest in connection with the submitted article.

All ICMJE Conflict of Interest Forms for authors and Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research editors and board members are on file with the publication and can be viewed on request.

The authors certify that their institution has approved the publication of this study that all the investigations were conducted in conformity with ethical principles of research, and informed consent was obtained.

This work was performed at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

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Arkader, A., Yang, C.H. & Tolo, V.T. High Long-term Local Control with Sacrectomy for Primary High-grade Bone Sarcoma in Children. Clin Orthop Relat Res 470, 1491–1497 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11999-011-2199-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11999-011-2199-x

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