Intraarterial cisplatinum and intravenous adriamycin for primary hypervascular bone tumor: experience of seven cases.

Seven consecutive cases of primary hypervascular bone tumor, encountered between January 1991 and September 1992, were treated with intraarterial cisplatinum and intravenous adriamycin infusion. There were four osteosarcomas, one malignant fibrous histiocytoma, one chondrosarcoma and one case of primitive neuroectodermal tumor. Local symptoms were markedly relieved, or disappeared, in 71% (5/7) of cases after the first course of treatment. Sclerotic changes of bone tumor occurred in 100% (6/6) of cases after two courses of chemotherapy. Progressive decrease of tumor stains was noted in 100% (6/6) of patients during angiographic assessments. On exploration, no gross tumors were found in 80% (4/5) of the cases that received limb-sparing surgery. Although disappearance of symptoms and sclerotic changes of bone tumor predicted a good response to treatment, the degree of decrease of tumor stains corresponded best with the extent of tumor necrosis. Our study verified the effectiveness of intraarterial cisplatinum and intravenous adriamycin infusion in treating primary hypervascular bone sarcomas. Further studies with more cases are necessary to define the optimal duration of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy.