Treatment of Metastatic Osteosarcoma and Undifferentiated Pleomorphic Sarcoma (UPS) of Bone

For information about the treatments listed below, see the Treatment Option Overview section.

Lung Metastasis

When osteosarcoma or UPS spreads, it usually spreads to the lung. Treatment of newly diagnosed osteosarcoma and UPS with lung metastasis may include the following:

• Chemotherapy followed by surgery to remove the primary cancer. This is followed by postoperative combination chemotherapy, then surgery to remove the cancer in the lung and more postoperative chemotherapy.
• A clinical trial comparing combination chemotherapy with or without the addition of cabozantinib in treating patients with newly diagnosed localized or metastatic osteosarcoma.

Bone Metastasis or Bone with Lung Metastasis

Newly diagnosed osteosarcoma and UPS may spread to a distant bone and/or the lung. Treatment may include the following:

• Chemotherapy followed by surgery to remove the primary tumor and the cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. More chemotherapy is given after surgery.
• Surgery to remove the primary tumor, followed by chemotherapy and surgery to remove cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, followed by combination chemotherapy.
• Radiation therapy to tumors in the bones.
• A clinical trial comparing combination chemotherapy with or without the addition of cabozantinib in treating patients with newly diagnosed localized or metastatic osteosarcoma.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.