In a study of eighteen patients with pelvic Ewing's sarcoma who were
treated with a multidisciplinary approach, chemotherapy was effective in
controlling systemic spread of the tumor. Surgery coupled with improved
methods of chemotherapy provided results that were statistically superior
to those obtained with radiation and chemotherapy alone in control of the
local pelvic lesion. A twofold increase in the survival rate was seen at a
median follow-up of thirty-six months in the patients who had the
resection. Our results suggest that pelvic Ewing's sarcoma is best treated
by initial chemotherapy, followed by local wide marginal resection of the
pelvic lesion coupled with perimeter radiation therapy and concluded with
additional chemotherapy. Survival rates of patients with pelvic Ewing's
sarcoma may then approach the excellent survival rates of patients with
lesions in more favorable anatomical locations.