BO04
A phase II study of cisplatin, ifosfamide and doxorubicin (PIA) chemotherapy in operable primary, axial skeletal and metastatic osteosarcoma
Can a new drug combination help to treat people with bone cancer?
What was this study about?
Osteosarcoma is a type of bone cancer. Doctors aim to treat it by operating to remove the cancer, as well as giving chemotherapy. Previous trials had shown that chemotherapy using two drugs, cisplatin and doxorubicin, was helpful in treating people with osteosarcoma. Researchers wanted to see whether adding another drug called ifosfamide, could improve the treatment.
Trial BO04 looked at how well ifosfamide worked when added to cisplatin and doxorubicin. It also looked at what unwanted side effects it might cause.
What difference did this study make?
This trial suggested that the new combination of chemotherapy drugs did not work any better than the usual two-drug chemotherapy treatment.
As a result of this trial, the standard two-drug chemotherapy treatment continued to be offered to people with osteosarcoma.
Type of study
Randomised trial
Contact details
Who funded the study?
The Medical Research Council.
When did it take place?
This trial recruited patients between 1986 and 1990. The results were published in 1999.
Who was included?
109 people with osteosarcoma were recruited to this study.