Ewing's sarcoma: 5-year survival under adjuvant chemotherapy

Abstract

The results at 5 years of an adjuvant chemotherapy trial in primary Ewing's sarcoma, started in 1973, are presented. Twenty-three eligible patients were treated with radiotherapy (60 Gy) to the tumor site and given polychemotherapy either using the E3 protocol (12 patients) or the E76 protocol (11 patients). Overall survival at 5 years was 37%, with 34% disease-free survival. There was no significant difference between the two chemotherapy groups. Only three local relapses and one major orthopedic failure were reported. Among the distal relapses, no metastases to the brain have been observed. These results are encouraging and show a clear improvement over the classical survival rate. However, further improvement is necessary and may be obtained by using new active drugs, as well as earlier and probably more aggressive cyclic chemotherapy. But primary surgical amputation and prophylactic CNS irradiation are not indicated for treatment of primary Ewing's sarcoma.