STERNAL RESECTION FOR PRIMARY OR SECONDARY TUMORS

Methods: From January 1980 to December 1993, 52 patients underwent sur gical resection for tumors involving the sternum, The series included 20 primary malignant tumors, 4 desmoid tumors, 2 malignant tumors infi ltrating the sternum from adjacent organs, 19 local recurrences or met astases of breast tumors, and 7 metastases of other tumors. Total ster nectomy was performed in 5 patients, subtotal sternal resection in 19, and partial resection (less than 50% of the sternum) in 28. Concurren t en bloc resection included anterior ribs in 37 patients, clavicle in 11, lung in 12 patients, pericardium in 7, and diaphragm in 2. The ch est was reconstructed with prosthetic material and a myocutaneous flap in 26 patients (50%), prosthetic material only in 12 patients (23%), a myocutaneous flap in 5 patients (10%), and other techniques ire the remaining patients. In 47 patients (90%) the resection was radical, an d in the remaining 5 patients it was palliative. Results: No periopera tive deaths occurred. After a median follow-up of 39 months, the overa ll 3-year survival was 58% and the 5-year survival 46%, with a median survival of 50 months. In 24 patients with primary tumor the 5-year su rvival after radical resection was 63%, and in 23 patients with second ary invasion (direct extension or metastasis) the 5-year survival was 38% (median 35 months), In recurrent breast cancer the 5-year survival was 48% in patients with direct extension to the chest wall and 60% i n patients with distant bone metastasis. Conclusions: Our experience d emonstrates that sternal resection is a safe and effective treatment, which may improve the patient's quality of life and achieve a long-ter m survival not only in primary tumors but also in selected secondary m alignant tumors of the sternum.