Local and systemic control of Ewing's bone sarcoma family tumors of the ribs

Background: A retrospective analysis of the results and relapse pattern was evaluated in 34 patients with Ewing's family bone tumors (EFBT) treated at Rizzoli Institute with neoadjuvant chemotherapy between 1983 and 2003. Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate treatment strategy and compare our results with those obtained in other studies. Methods: Local treatment in these patients was radiotherapy alone in 4 cases, surgery alone in 13 and surgery followed by radiotherapy in 17. Results: Five-year event-free survival (EFS) was 44%, no different from that observed in another 558 patients with EFBT located in other sites treated in the same period with neoadjuvant chemotherapy protocols. Eighteen patients had a systemic relapse, followed by local relapse in two and one patient had a local relapse alone. EFS was significantly correlated to the time interval between onset symptoms and beginning of treatment and, in operated patients to histologic response to preoperative treatment. Conclusions: We conclude that EFBT of the ribs, when treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, have an outcome similar to that of patients with EFBT located in other sites. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.