title: Soft-tissue sarcomas of the proximal lower extremity.
abstract: Of 54 patients with soft-tissue sarcomas of the proximal part of the lower extremity, 2 patients (4%) were treated with amputation, while 52 patients (96%) were treated with limb-preserving resection. Adjuvant postoperative irradiation was applied selectively when the minimum margin was less than 2 cm (22 patients). Technical improvements in exposure, resection of involved vessels or nerve, and preservation of function permitted a high rate of limb salvage with satisfactory function. At a median follow-up of 30 months for those subjects still alive, the 5-year disease-free survival rate was 65%, and only 3 patients (6%) had had a local recurrence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Roswell Park Memorial Institute, Buffalo, NY 14263.
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Karakousis
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Emrich
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Vesper
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001158:Arteries / Q000601:surgery; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004487:Edema / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012086:Reoperation; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D014654:Vascular Patency; D014680:Veins / Q000601:surgery