Decoding osteosarcoma from heterogeneity to precision therapy

Osteosarcoma (OS), the most common malignant bone tumor in adolescents, exhibits marked genetic and cellular heterogeneity, contributing to its resistance to conventional therapies. Although surgical and chemotherapeutic interventions have advanced, survival rates remain stagnant, especially for patients with metastatic or treatment-refractory disease. Recent multi-omic studies have uncovered distinct molecular subtypes characterized by unique genomic, epigenomic, transcriptomic, and tumor microenvironmental signatures. The integration of bulk and single-cell transcriptomics, spatial profiling, epigenetic mapping, and proteomic analyses has provided unprecedented insights into the pathogenesis of OS and has facilitated the identification of novel biomarkers. This review comprehensively summarizes the current advances in the molecular subtyping of OS, highlighting subtype-specific oncogenic drivers, their implications in tumor progression and therapeutic resistance, and the potential for precision medicine strategies tailored to these molecular profiles.