OSTEOSARCOMA OF THE JAW BONES

Osteosarcoma of the jam bone is comparatively rare and accounts for ab out 6.5% of all osteosarcomas, We treated eight cases of osteosarcoma of the jaw bone involving the mandible and maxilla in equal proportion s between 1986-1992, The median age was 31 years and male:female ratio was 5:3. Swelling and bony expansion mere the most common presentatio ns, Radiologically six patients had lytic lesions, and histopathologic ally they mere osteoblastic (n=4), chondroblastic (n=3) and fibroblast ic (n=1), Three patients, two with mandibular and one with maxillary o steosarcoma underwent radical surgery and six courses of cisplatinum-b ased chemotherapy, All were alive and disease free 24, 30, and 54 mont hs after treatment. Histologically all three were chondroblastic, Five patients had incomplete or palliative treatment. All patients died of progressive or locally recurrent disease within 2 years.