Survival after induction chemotherapy and surgical resection for high-grade soft tissue sarcoma. Is radiation necessary?
BACKGROUND
Induction chemotherapy can produce dramatic necrosis in sarcomas-raising the question of whether or not radiation is necessary. This study reviews the clinical outcome of a subset of patients with high-grade extremity soft tissue sarcomas (STS) who were treated with induction chemotherapy and surgical resection but without radiation.


METHODS
Nonmetastatic, large, high-grade STS of the pelvis and extremities were treated with intra-arterial cisplatin, adriamycin, and, after 1995, ifosfamide. After induction, oncologic resection and histologic evaluation were performed. Good responders with good surgical margins were not treated with radiation.


RESULTS
Thirty-three patients, with a median follow-up of 5 years, were included. Limb salvage rate was 94%. Median tumor necrosis was 95%. Four patients developed metastatic disease with three subsequent deaths. Two local recurrences occurred; both patients were salvaged with reresection and adjuvant external beam radiotherapy, although one died of metastatic disease 10 years later. Relapse-free and overall survival is 80% and 88% at 5 and 10 years by Kaplan-Meier analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
Intensive induction chemotherapy can be extremely effective for high-grade STS, permitting limb-sparing surgery in lieu of amputation. Radiation may not be necessary if a good response to induction chemotherapy and negative wide margins are achieved. All patients with large, deep, high-grade STS of the extremities should be considered candidates for induction chemotherapy.
Henshaw
R M
RM
Division of Orthopedic Oncology, George Washington University, Washington Cancer Institute, Washington, DC 20010, USA. rmh4@mhg.edu
Priebat
D A
DA
Perry
D J
DJ
Shmookler
B M
BM
Malawer
M M
MM
D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D005121:Extremities / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D010386:Pelvic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome