Combined modality treatment of bone metastases: response of the rhabdomyosarcoma R1H of the rat to postoperative irradiation combined with local release of daunorubicin from acrylic cement.

Reconstruction techniques for pathological fractures caused by bone metastases often include acrylic cement to stabilise defects. The aim of this study was to test in a rodent model, whether outcome could be improved by local chemotherapy from an anticancer drug added to the acrylic cement. Tumour excision 17 days after transplantation into the femur was followed by fractionated irradiation. Supplementation of acrylic cement with daunorubicin led to a considerable reduction of TCD37% from 72.9 Gy (62.2-82.8) to 29.3 Gy (21.8-37.5) (P = 0.0007). Local chemotherapy diffusing from bone cement combined with postoperative radiotherapy was highly effective in the experimental system studied.