Preoperative therapy has been tested as part of limb salvage therapy for localized bone and soft tissue sarcoma of the extremities. The activity of cisplatin (CDDP) by intraarterial (IA) infusion was evaluated in 40 cases of which 36 were evaluable for response. All patients had high-grade sarcomas. All but 3 patients received 3 or 4 courses (24 patients received 4 courses) of CDDP at a dosage of 120 to 150 mg/m2 given over 6 hours every 2 weeks by IA infusion. Patients younger than 18 years of age received the higher dose of CDDP. Treatment was well tolerated with combination antiemetics. One patient experienced severe hearing loss with the first cycle of the higher CDDP dose. Pathologic evaluation of resected osteosarcoma showed a favorable response (90% or greater necrosis) in 8 of 20 evaluable cases and in 3 of 4 patients with malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) of bone (without osteoid). In soft tissue sarcomas, minimal (50% to 89%) necrosis was seen in two of nine cases and none had 90% or greater necrosis. Patients received postoperative chemotherapy based on pathologic response, but the value of this postoperative adjuvant therapy requires further follow-up and is uncertain in this small study. IA CDDP can often cause significant tumor necrosis in patients with bone sarcomas, whereas soft tissue sarcomas are less sensitive to this therapy.