Locally recurrent soft tissue sarcoma of the extremities.
BACKGROUND
The management of locally recurrent extremity soft tissue sarcoma remains challenging. This study was undertaken to evaluate the long-term outcome after therapy for isolated locally recurrent soft tissue sarcoma (STS) of the extremity.


METHODS
Between January 1, 1980, and December 31, 1990, 52 patients were treated at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center for locally recurrent extremity STS. The records of the subset of these patients (n = 36) with isolated local recurrence were examined to document clinicopathologic and treatment factors and to evaluate outcome using the end points of local recurrence-free, recurrence-free, and overall survival.


RESULTS
Limb-sparing conservative surgery was possible in 24 patients (75%). Twelve (33%) of 36 patients were treated by surgery alone, 23 patients (64%) were treated with combined modality therapy (surgery plus radiation and/or chemotherapy), and 1 patient had radiotherapy only. Sixteen (44%) of 36 patients had no further recurrence of any type at a median follow-up of 58 months (range, 4 to 173 months). The 5-year actuarial local recurrence-free, recurrence-free, and overall survival rates were 72%, 45%, and 77%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Limb-sparing conservative surgery is possible in the majority of patients with isolated locally recurrent STS. Durable local control can be established with individualized local treatment strategies. These results support aggressive multimodality limb-sparing treatment approaches for these patients.
Midis
G P
GP
Department of Surgical Oncology, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030-4095, USA.
Pollock
R E
RE
Chen
N P
NP
Feig
B W
BW
Murphy
A
A
Pollack
A
A
Pisters
P W
PW
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005121:Extremities; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011379:Prognosis; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D015996:Survival Rate