Osteosarcoma treatment: state of the art

Abstract

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a class of cancer originating from bone, mainly afflicting children or young adults. It is the second highest cause of cancer-related death in these age groups, mainly due to development of often fatal metastasis, usually in the lungs. Survival for these patients is poor despite the aggressive use of surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiotherapy. Thus, new effective drugs and other forms of therapy are needed. This article reviews the biology and the state of the art management of OS. New experimental drugs and potential therapies targeting molecular pathways of OS are also discussed.