Adjuvant brachytherapy for primary high-grade soft tissue sarcoma of the extremity.
BACKGROUND
We reviewed single-institution experience using brachytherapy alone for primary high-grade soft tissue sarcoma of the extremity.


METHODS
Between July 1982 and September 1997, 202 adult patients with primary high-grade soft tissue sarcoma of the extremity were treated with limb-sparing surgery and adjuvant brachytherapy. All patients underwent complete gross resection, but the margin of resection was microscopically positive in 18% of patients. The median dose of brachytherapy was 45 Gy delivered over 5 days. Tumors located in the shoulder or groin were defined as central location. Complications were assessed in terms of wound complications, bone fracture, and peripheral nerve damage.


RESULTS
With a median follow-up of 61 months, the 5-year local control, distant relapse-free survival, and overall survival rates were 84%, 63%, and 70%, respectively. On multivariate analysis, poor local control correlated with shoulder location, positive microscopic margins of resection, and nonshoulder upper extremity site. The 5-year actuarial rates of wound complications requiring reoperation, bone fracture, and grade > or = 3 nerve damage were 12%, 3%, and 5%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Adjuvant brachytherapy provides adequate local control and acceptable morbidity that compares favorably with data reported for external beam radiation. Shoulder tumor location was identified as an independent prognostic factor for poor local control, mandating further improvement in the local management of these tumors.
Alektiar
Kaled M
KM
Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10021, USA. alektiak@mskcc.org
Leung
Dennis
D
Zelefsky
Michael J
MJ
Healey
John H
JH
Brennan
Murray F
MF
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000379:methods*; D005121:Extremities / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D016019:Survival Analysis