Extract
The field of orthopaedic oncology encompasses the care of patients with benign and malignant bone and soft-tissue neoplasms, who are usually managed by orthopaedists with special training in this area. However, a much larger group of patients includes those with carcinomas that have metastasized to bone, who are treated not only by orthopaedic oncologists but also by general orthopaedists. The past two updates focused on (1) biological advances in the diagnosis and prognosis of sarcomas and (2) functional outcomes and quality-of-life measures after limb-salvage surgery. This year, the focus will be on current developments in the treatment of metastatic disease, with specific emphasis on staging, surgical treatment, and the interaction of tumor cells with the bone microenvironment. To illustrate the rapidly advancing science in this area, recent biologic findings and their clinical implications will be reviewed.