Annual Report 2023
Department of Musculoskeletal Oncology
Fumihiko Nakatani
Introduction
The Department of Musculoskeletal Oncology of the NCCHE started in 2021. We strive to provide expert interdisciplinary care for benign and malignant bone and soft tissue tumors and tumor-like conditions. Currently, we perform benign bone and soft tissue tumor resections as day surgery, malignant bone and soft tissue tumor resections with the assistance of thoracic surgeons, urologists and colorectal surgeons. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy for malignant musculoskeletal tumors are currently conducted in the Departments of Medical Oncology and Radiotherapy, respectively.
The Team and What We Do
Our outpatient service is generally open three days a week (Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays) for patients with various musculoskeletal tumors. We also manage patients who suffer from bone metastases and other orthopedic diseases and consult with other cancer specialists on a daily basis. To provide prosthetic and orthotic care for our patients, a special outpatient service is available on Mondays. In 2023, 15 operations were performed. A total of five benign bone and soft tissue tumor surgeries were conducted as day surgery. We also conducted six partial scrum bone resections combined with rectal cancer surgeries, two retroperitoneal sarcoma surgeries and two chest wall sarcoma surgeries with partial chest wall and/or partial spinal bone resections.
Research Activities
We have been attending multi-institutional study groups including the Japan Clinical Oncology Group (JCOG) and the Japan Musculoskeletal Oncology Group (JMOG) to produce novel evidence for rare musculoskeletal tumors. We are also engaged in developing a system for the early detection of bone metastasis and spinal canal invasion by metastatic tumors using a subtraction method with CT-based images in collaboration with radiologists.
Clinical Trials
1. A multi-institutional randomized phase II clinical trial of second line chemotherapy for advanced soft tissue sarcoma (JCOG 1802) since 2019
2. A multi-institutional randomized phase III clinical trial of (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy for soft tissue sarcoma (JCOG 2102) since 2022
Education
We have been engaging in several educational lectures for the medical staff to promote specific care regarding musculoskeletal oncology. We also provide some instructive lectures for the medical staff in the community.
Future Prospects
Our division continues to focus on the development of novel therapeutic tools for patients with bone and soft tissue tumors in collaboration with other clinical divisions and research institutes.