title: Prognostic factors in soft tissue sarcomas: a study of 395 patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to report prognostic factors, end-points of local recurrence, distant recurrence, post-metastasis survival, and overall survival in a cohort of patients with soft tissue sarcomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analysed a database of 395 patients affected by primary soft tissue sarcomas of various primary sites, treated and followed up at the Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, Aviano, Italy from January 1985 to January 1997.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Grade, size, stage, surgical margins, distant metastasis, age, sex, performance status, and haemoglobin value were significant for overall survival. Histology, grade, stage, and surgical margins were significant for local recurrence. Grade, size, and stage, were significant for distant recurrence; and surgical margin was significant variable for post-metastasis survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Grade, size, and TNM stage (UICC/AJCC) have stronger prognostic significance for overall survival and distant recurrence than for local relapse. Positive surgical margins are the main predictors for local relapse. Age was the most consistent adverse independent prognostic factor for survival.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, Aviano, Italy.
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Stefanovski
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bidoli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Paoli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Buonadonna
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Boz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Libra
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morassut
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carbone
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Frustaci
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002648:Child; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D017678:Sex Distribution; D016019:Survival Analysis