Abstract
Introduction
As survival rates associated with the multimodal treatment of malignant bone cancer (osteosarcoma and Ewing’s sarcoma) are satisfactory, health-related quality of life and the return to
activity and sports by the affected patients have attracted increasing attention in recent years. Nowadays, limbs can be salvaged for most patients using modular endoprostheses. Such
patients are typically adolescents and young adults who have high activity levels and thereby high demands for multimodal cancer treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the activity levels
and sporting proficiencies that can be attained after modular endoprosthetic treatment of bone sarcomas as well as the extent to which physiotherapeutic and sports interventions influence
functional outcome and activity levels.
Methods
This non-systematic review of the literature focused on the return to activity and sports after modular endoprosthetic treatment of lower extremities bone sarcomas in adolescents and
young adults. The electronic database PubMed was screened for relevant publications on this issue. A treatment algorithm for return to activity and sports in tumor orthopaedics is
proposed.
Results and Discussion
The objective activity level (gait cycles per day and gait intensities) in patients treated for bone sarcomas is reduced in short- and long-term follow-ups compared with healthy controls
and patients with other cancers (leukaemia). Although a negative impact is observed in terms of motor performance, it shows improvement over time. Functional assessment at 12 postoperative
months is sensible as neoadjuvant chemotherapy is completed by then. In long-term follow-up, patients with bone sarcomas can achieve high sports activity levels, i.e., type of sport,
frequency/week and UCLA score, after modular endoprosthetic reconstruction. The maximum level is attained at 5 years postoperatively. Nevertheless, there is a shift from high- and
intermediate- to low-impact sports. Only 20% of the patients participate in school sports regularly without limitations. The localisation of bone sarcoma, but not the rate of postoperative
complications, influences the postoperative activity level. Individualised sports-related interventions during and after multimodal treatment can improve the short-term activity levels;
moreover, “serious games” can improve motor performance and postural control. There is no evidence that intense activity levels leads to early loosening of the endoprosthesis. There is
insufficient valid data on activity and sports after modular endoprosthetic treatment of bone sarcomas of the upper extremities.
Conclusion
High preoperative activity levels of young patients with bone sarcomas must be considered in tumour orthopaedics. Limitations on sports activities have a significant negative impact on
the quality of life and mental health of such patients. Therefore, tumour orthopaedic treatment has to focus on preserving an improvement in these factors. The overall existing evidence
concerning this issue is weak. Additional studies to evaluate the ability to return to specific sports activities are desirable, as well as prospective interventional studies.
Keywords
bone cancer - tumor orthopedics - return to activity - sports - intervention
