This RCT by Link et al. (1986) asked a direct question: does adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery change the natural history of nonmetastatic high-grade osteosarcoma of the extremity, or does surgery alone suffice? Thirty-six patients were randomized post-operatively to chemotherapy or observation, with 77 additional non-randomized patients providing supporting data.
This study established adjuvant chemotherapy as mandatory treatment for high-grade extremity osteosarcoma, providing the evidence base for modern multimodal treatment protocols that dramatically improved survival from what was previously a largely fatal diagnosis.
This RCT by Link et al. (1986) asked a direct question: does adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery change the natural history of nonmetastatic high-grade osteosarcoma of the extremity, or does surgery alone suffice? Thirty-six patients were randomized post-operatively to chemotherapy or observation, with 77 additional non-randomized patients providing supporting data.
This study established adjuvant chemotherapy as mandatory treatment for high-grade extremity osteosarcoma, providing the evidence base for modern multimodal treatment protocols that dramatically improved survival from what was previously a largely fatal diagnosis.