A new hope exists in that numerous new-targeted drug therapies, with much less toxicity, have been developed each with potential relevance to the treatment of osteosarcoma. Research funded by Garden City's Foster Foundation and Swim Across America-Nassau/Suffolk has enabled researchers to define which of these targeted therapies will be relevant to osteosarcoma.

Work conducted at the Gorlick Sarcoma Research Laboratory, Montefiore Children's Hospital, has demonstrated that Insulin Like Growth Factor -1(IGF-1) appears to be involved in osteosarcoma's aggressive and malignant behavior. It has been demonstrated that IGF-1 is an active signaling pathway suggesting inhibiting the pathway may be an effective treatment. It has been demonstrated that antibodies, available as drugs, which target this growth factor's receptor are effective at inhibiting osteosarcoma in experimental model systems.

"The results of these experiments have far exceeded our most hopeful expectations. It is our expectation that clinical trials of IGF-1 receptor inhibitors for specifically osteosarcoma will be initiated by the Fall of this year both as multi-institutional clinical trials as well as through the National SARC Consortium based on the excitement generated from this and other research data. I believe the level of excitement about these compounds potential to improve osteosarcoma treatment is at unprecedented high" said Dr. Richard Gorlick, Division Chief of Hematology/Oncology, The Children's Hospital at Montefiore. Dr Gorlick added "it is hoped that the new treatment approaches developed through this research will improve treatment and outcomes and diminish the horrible toxicities of current therapy. This research would not have been possible without funding from Garden City's Foster Foundation and Swim Across America (Nassau/Suffolk)."