Ultrasonographic monitoring of the effects of preoperative chemotherapy in osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma

This study evaluates ultrasonography as a method of monitoring the effect of preoperative chemotherapy on two types of tumour. Changes in the size of tumours of 15 patients (13 osteosarcoma, 2 extraosseous Ewing's sarcoma) were monitored by this method, and the results compared with the histological examination of the resected specimens. Six patients in whom the tumour size increased towards the end of chemotherapy showed in inadequate histological response, whereas 6 of the 7 patients in whom the tumour decreased in size had a good histological response. Ultrasonography is of value as it can indicate the effect of preoperative chemotherapy on sarcoma by monitoring the size of the tumour, and it is simple and cheap to use.