title: Recent advances in radiotherapy for soft-tissue sarcoma.
abstract: The use of radiotherapy in soft-tissue sarcoma continues to evolve. This review focuses on how current management is influenced by the most recent publications in the field. In particular, experience of patients treated without radiotherapy permits guidelines to be established that define a subset of patients who do not need radiotherapy to achieve sarcoma cure with good function. Strategies for radiotherapy delivery are discussed, including the most recent prospective results from a trial of preoperative and postoperative radiotherapy, with particular emphasis on randomized data. Also, the definitions for adequacy of surgical excision and the ability to achieve high rates of local control when margins are minimally positive are integrated into a planned approach. The difficult problem of retroperitoneal sarcoma is discussed, as are chemoradiotherapy protocols that may enhance local and systemic outcome. Finally, the potential for image-guided radiotherapy, enhanced targeting, and better radiotherapy delivery in the contemporary era is addressed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Princess Margaret Hospital, University of Toronto, 610 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2M9, Canada. brian.osullivan@rmp.uhn.on.ca
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: O'Sullivan
authors.forename: Iain
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Catton
mesh_terms: D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012186:Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome