Treatment modalities for metastatic bone tumors and associated issues: focusing on surgical indications and techniques for metastatic lesions in limb bones.

Abstract

Metastatic bone tumors are traditionally the most commonly encountered form of malignant bone tumor. In recent years, the prevalence of metastatic bone tumors has shown a tendency of further increase, due to advances in cancer treatments that prolong survival. Accompanying this increase, the chances that orthopedic surgeons will encounter these tumors and the need for surgical treatment are increasing. Metastatic bone tumor usually constitutes only part of the metastatic lesions. Although local control at the bone metastatic site alone may have little effect on the total curability, the quality of life (QOL) of the patient cannot be ensured if local control is ignored. Therefore it is important to achieve local control by interdisciplinary treatments aiming at reduced surgery and at functional conservation.