2012 Volume 61 Issue 2 Pages 176-178
We experienced a case of sacral osteosarcoma, who was relieved from severe pain by irradiation, and improved her Activities of Daily Living (ADL) considerably. The patient was a 85-year-old woman who experieuced pain in the sacral area in July X. Because the pain increased gradually, she visited a nearby hospital. She was suspected of sacral bone tumor on X-ray, and was referred to our outpatient clinic in October X. She was diagnosed with osteosarcoma with open biopsy. Because she and her family did not want aggressive treatment, palliative radiotherapy for the pain (50 Gy) and opioid treatment were started. Pain gradually improved after the start of radiotherapy, and improved ADL, and she was able to walk by herself again. After radiotherapy, she was transferred to a hospice and ADL has not decreased. Primary sacral bone sarcoma is very rare and its prognosis is very poor. Chemotherapy, heavy ion radiotherapy, surgery, and radiation are choices of treatment for osteosarcoma of the sacrum. In case radical radiotherapy is difficult, palliative radiation treatment is useful and effective.
