Adjuvant epirubicin and cisplatinum in high-grade osteosarcoma of the extremity

Twenty three patients with the diagnosis of non-metastatic high-grade osteosarcoma of the extremity were treated in the National Cancer Institute, Cairo University with adjuvant hemotherapy after definitive surgery. The adjuvant treatment regimen consisted of epirubicin and cisplatinum given every 3 weeks for 6 cycles. The evaluable seventeen patients were followed up regularly for period ranged 21-42 months with a median of 24 months. The 3-year actuarial disease-free survival was 76%. Metastases occurred in only 4/17 patients, all of which were in the lung parenchyma. Of the toxicities observed in these patients were both tolerable and manageable. This regimen is quite effective in controlling micrometastases and is reasonably safe