Ten Years Experience with Ewing's Sarcoma

The series comprises 57 consecutive patients with Ewing's sarcoma admitted to the National Cancer Institute of Milan from 1965 to 1976. In 75% the diseas was confined to one bone, while in 25% multiple bone and/or visceral lesions were present. Patients with clinically localized tumor treated before 1971 with local therapy, showed a median disease-free survival of 5 months. After 1971, radiotherapy and/or surgery to local tumor was combined with multiple drug chemotherapy (ADM, VCR, CTX) and the projected median disease-free survival increased to 24+ months. In previously untreated patients with advanced tumor adriamycin, used as single drug, achieved an overall response rate of 73%. This is comparable to that achieved by a new combination including ADM, VCR, CTX, CCNU (75%). This multiple drug regimen is, however, expected to prolong the duration of response.