title: Fibrosarcoma of the head and neck. The UCLA experience.
abstract: Between 1955 and 1987, twenty-nine patients with the diagnosis of fibrosarcoma of the head and neck were seen at the UCLA Medical Center. Follow-up ranged from 15 to 192 months, with a median of 66 months. Absolute 5-year survival was 62% (13/21). Five of 17 patients treated initially with surgery alone achieved local control and long-term survival. All five had low-grade lesions. Five patients received postoperative radiation therapy because of positive surgical margins. Three were rendered disease free, and all had low-grade lesions. Radiation therapy was used as primary treatment in six patients, four of whom received additional chemotherapy. Of these six, two are disease free with longer than 5-year follow-up. Surgery with and without adjuvant therapy successfully salvaged 42% (5/12) of the patients with local recurrence. Eighty percent (12/15) of the patients with low-grade lesions were ultimately rendered disease free vs only 8% (1/12) of the patients with high-grade histologic features. Seventy-two percent (13/18) of the patients with local recurrence were known to have positive surgical margins. Sixty-eight percent (13/19) of the patients with recurrent disease had high-grade lesions and/or tumor size larger than 5 cm. Tumor grade is the most important prognostic factor followed by tumor size and surgical margin status. Patients with low-grade lesions and adequate surgical margins are treated well with surgery alone. Patients with high-grade lesions or positive surgical margins should receive adjuvant treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, UCLA Medical Center 90024.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Mark
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Sercarz
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tran
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Selch
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Calcaterra
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005354:Fibrosarcoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015996:Survival Rate