Limb Salvage Strategy by Intra-Arterial Chemotherapy for Local Recurrent Osteosarcoma in Extremities

Objective: The feasibility of intra-arterial chemotherapy for local recurrent extremity osteosarcoma with prosthesis replacement. Methods: 9 local recurrent limb osteosarcoma patients with prosthesis replacement who received treatment during the period from April 2010 to June 2013 at our hospital were recruited, including 3 patients with lung metastasis. All patients were treated with intra-arterial chemotherapy via implanted pump at affected limb. Results: The local recurrent neoplasms calcified and formed clear boundary with normal tissues after 3 to 5 cycles intra-arterial intervention chemotherapy, which indicates the osteosarcoma was controlled effectively to facilitate the osteosarcoma excision. No local recurrence happened during the follow-up visit varied from 12 to 38 months. The late result was better in 6 patients without lung metastasis than 3 patients with lung metastasis, 2 of who died and 1 currently survive without tumor. Conclusion: Intra-arterial intervention chemotherapy could effectively curb the progress of local recurrent osteosarcoma to facilitate the subsequent limb salvage treatment, and prolong the lifetime of patients with lung metastasis.