Osteosarcoma in young children

The clinicopathologic features of osteosarcoma in 12 children younger than 6 years of age treated at The Children's Hospital and Dana‐Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, during a 70‐year time period are presented. Only one of six children treated before 1972 is a long‐term survivor. Four of six children (67%) treated after 1972 are disease‐free with an average follow‐up of 8.8 years. The year 1972 marked the onset of use of effective chemotherapy in osteosarcoma, namely, high‐dose methotrexate and leucovorin rescue. It would appear that the pathologic features and behavior of osteosarcoma in young children is similar to that of osteosarcoma in older children and adolescents. A combination of complete (wide) surgical resection or amputation and aggressive chemotherapy offers the best chance of long‐term survival.