1. ¹Department of Internal Medicine V, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
2. ²Department of Surgery, Klinikum Bremen-Mitte, Bremen, Germany
3. ³Department of Orthopaedics, Orthopaedic University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
4. ⁴Department of Pathology, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 220/221, Heidelberg, Germany

Correspondence: Dr B Kasper, Department of Internal Medicine V, University of Heidelberg, Hospitalstrasse 3, D-69115 Heidelberg, Germany. E-mail: Bernd_Kasper@med.uni-heidelberg.de

Received 18 November 2003; Accepted 29 January 2004; Published online 31 May 2004.

Abstract

The role of high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) with PBSCT in the treatment of bone and soft-tissue sarcomas is not established. In total, 27 patients (15 female, median age at TPL 30.6 years (range: 13–59)) were analyzed (Ewing sarcoma family n=8, osteosarcoma n=6, MPNST (malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor) n=4, synovial sarcoma n=3, liposarcoma n=2, leiomyosarcoma n=2, rhabdomyosarcoma n=1, meningosarcoma n=1). Following chemotherapy and surgery complete remission (CR) (n=9), partial remission (PR) (n=10), stable disease (SD) (n=2) and progressive disease (PD) (n=6) were reached prior HDCT. Different HDCT conditioning regimens were used. One patient died due to cardiac arrest after HDCT. Except hematologic side effects, no WHO grade III–IV complications were observed. Four patients died within 6 months due to PD, disease recurred in another seven patients and led to death, 15 patients are alive with/without disease. The median progression-free survival (PFS) is 12.0 months (range: 0–58), in nine CR patients median PFS is 25.8 months (range: 3–58). Although the role of HDCT in the treatment of sarcomas is not defined, a subgroup of patients who achieved CR before HDCT could benefit from this therapy.