The myth regarding bone or cartilage involvement by cancer and the likelihood of cure by radiotherapy.

A myth persists that tumor involvement of bone and/or cartilage represents a clinical situation in which cure by radiotherapy would be considered unusual. There are sufficient data to the contrary. This essay reviews the radiotherapy results for (1) primary tumors of bone (benign and malignant), (2) primary malignant tumors of cartilage, and (3) benign and malignant tumors that secondarily involve bone and/or cartilage. It is hoped that the myth concerning radiocurability and bone and/or cartilage involvement will be replaced by an appreciation of the relative rates of cure depending on the clinical situation.