Current and future aspects of the Japanese medical system in the treatment of musculoskeletal tumors

I would like to analyze here advantages and disadvantages of Japanese medical care for musculoskeletal tumors in my experience, and to describe what we should do in the future in order to enhance the advantages and overcome the disadvantages. I graduated from university and started my career as an orthopedist in 1977. Also in that year, the Cancer Institute Hospital of JFCR opened the Department of Orthopedic Oncology, and clinical trials of high-dose methotrexate (MTX) therapy commenced in Japan. In 1980, I started working at the Cancer Institute Hospital and have been heavily involved in medical care for bone and soft tissue tumors since then. The following year, 1981, the hospital’s original total knee replacement was first performed for osteosarcoma, showing favorable response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy.