MALIGNANT BONE AND SOFT-TISSUE TUMORS OF THE SHOULDER GIRDLE - A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF 30 OPERATED CASES

From 1988 to 1995, 30 patients (16 men) with malignant bone (n 23) and soft tissue (n 7) tumors of the shoulder girdle underwent surgery in our department, The mean age was 34 (6-80) years. 26 patients had prim ary and 4 had metastatic lesions. The average follow-up period was 3 ( 2-8) years, at the end of which 18 patients showed no evidence of dise ase, 2 were alive with disease, and 10 had died (9 because of tumor). 25 of the operations were limb-sparing procedures, while the other 5 w ere major amputations. Radical resection was performed in 4 patients, wide resection in 25 and marginal resection in 1. Local recurrence was observed in 2 patients.10 patients with stage IIB tumors of the proxi mal humerus underwent extraarticular humeral and glenoid resection. Re construction was performed with either a modular or an improvised impl ant. Following surgery, those patients had a concave contour of the sh oulder and poor abduction ability. Overall functional outcome was good in 18 patients, moderate in 11 and poor in 1. No correlation was foun d between functional outcome and reconstruction technique.