Current Therapeutic Strategies and Novel Approaches in Osteosarcoma

Abstract

Osteosarcoma is the most frequent malignant primary bone tumor and a main cause of cancer-related death in children and adolescents. Although long-term survival in localized osteosarcoma has improved to about 60% during the 1960s and 1970s, long-term survival in both localized and metastatic osteosarcoma has stagnated in the past several decades. Thus, current conventional therapy consists of multi-agent chemotherapy, surgery and radiation, which is not fully adequate for osteosarcoma treatment. Innovative drugs and approaches are needed to further improve outcome in osteosarcoma patients. This review describes the current management of osteosarcoma as well as potential new therapies.

MicroRNA-126 enhances the sensitivity of osteosarcoma cells to cisplatin and methotrexate

“…At present, the majority of studies advocate the comprehensive treatment of osteosarcoma, including the use of surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and immune therapy (24)(25)(26). Chemotherapy was first used for the palliative treatment of advanced cases and achieved effects to a certain degree, thus promoting its application in the adjuvant treatment of early-stage patients to prevent metastasis.…”

Musculoskeletal colloquialisms based on weapons

“…Osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma frequently metastasise to lungs and cannonball metastases may be their presenting sign. Though cannonball metastases were previously considered a harbinger of death, the outlook for patients of bone sarcomas with pulmonary metastases has improved in recent times, with significantly higher five-year survival rates reported after pulmonary metastasectomy (PM) both in osteosarcoma 13 and Ewing sarcoma. 14 Hence, currently the prognosis of sarcoma patients with cannonball metastases is not as bad as the name suggests.…”

The roles of the exoribonucleases DIS3L2 and XRN1 in human disease

“…Osteosarcoma is the third most common cancer affecting adolescents with a second smaller peak occurring between 60 to 80 years, particularly in people affected by Paget's disease. Overall, osteosarcoma has a moderate incidence rate, with 10 to 26 per million new cases worldwide each year [37]. Osteosarcoma often develops at either end of the long bones of the arms or legs, although tumours can also occur in the skull and pelvis.…”

“…Tumours typically arise from osteoid-producing neoplastic cells adjacent to the long bone growth plate. The main cause of death in these patients is the spread of cancer cells to the lungs; these secondary tumours are present in 10-20% of cases at diagnosis [37].…”