title: Soft-tissue sarcoma of the thigh: surgical margin influences local recurrence but not survival in 152 patients.
abstract: Between 1979 and 1998, 152 patients with a soft-tissue sarcoma arising in the thigh were surgically treated in the Sarcoma Center in Aarhus, Denmark. We studied clinicopathologic factors prognostic for local recurrence and survival. 27 patients (18%) had a low-grade tumor, 26 (17%) an intermediate-grade and 99 (65%) a high-grade tumor. 27 patients (18%) were amputated and 125 (82%) had a local resection. 21 (14%) underwent a marginal resection, 82 (54%) a wide resection and 49 (32%) a compartmental resection. 32 patients were also given radiotherapy, 11 of these had a marginal resection. The 5-year local recurrence-free rate was 91%. Multivariate analysis selected marginal resection and histological high grade as unfavorable prognostic factors for local recurrence. The 5-year survival rate was 68%. High age and histological high grade were unfavorable prognostic factors for survival in a multivariate analysis. Surgical margin influenced local recurrence, but not the overall survival.
authors.affiliation: Center for Bone and Soft-tissue Sarcoma, University Hospital of Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vraa
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Keller
authors.forename: O S
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Jurik
authors.forename: O M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Jensen
mesh_terms: D000206:Actuarial Analysis; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000209:etiology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013848:Thigh; D016896:Treatment Outcome