[Bone and soft-tissue tumors of the foot and ankle].

BACKGROUND

This study reports the epidemiology of bone and soft-tissue tumors of the foot and ankle, presents therapy strategies, and evaluates mid-term clinicofunctional outcome after surgery for malignant tumors.

METHODS

Two hundred four patients with tumors of the foot and ankle were analyzed (163 benign and 41 malignant). Epidemiology and surgical therapy are reported.

RESULTS

The most frequent tumors were exostosis, bone cyst, and osteoid osteoma for benign tumors and metastases and chondrosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma for malignant tumors. In more than 90% of the benign tumors, local resection could be carried out, whereas in malignant tumors, ablative procedures and arthrodeses were almost as common as limb- and joint-sparing techniques. However, follow-up revealed good functional results and a 5-year survival rate of 84% for patients with primary malignant tumors.

CONCLUSION

Tumors of the foot and ankle require a thorough therapeutic strategy. Mid-term functional results and survival rate after surgical treatment are good, although a high percentage of ablative procedures or fusions could not be avoided in our patients.