EQUIPOISE IN ORTHOPAEDIC ONCOLOGY - TEN AREAS OF UNCERTAINTY!

After 25 years in orthopaedic oncology the author wishes to set a challenge for the next generation by posing 10 questions which he believes still do not have answers and which may improve outcomes for patients with sarcomas Why are sarcomas diagnosed so late? Can we ever decide what is a safe margin? What is the role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for STS? What can we do to decrease the risk of infection after limb salvage surgery? What is the significance of local recurrence on outcome? What really is the best treatment for Ewing9s sarcoma of the pelvis? Is cross sectional imaging essential as part of patient follow up? Is it possible to evaluate outcomes combining survival and function? Why can9t we run a surgical trial in orthopaedic oncology? How can we evaluate surgical success? The author suggests ways these questions may be answered.