Intraoperative radiotherapy of soft tissue sarcoma of the extremity.
OBJECTIVE
Evaluation of treatment outcome after intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) +/- external-beam irradiation (EBRT) in patients with localized soft tissue sarcoma of the extremity at high risk for local recurrence after limb-sparing surgery.


METHODS
28 patients treated between 1989 and 1999 were evaluated retrospectively. Patients presented with locally recurrent (n = 17), T2 (n = 20), high-grade (n = 26), or incompletely resected tumors (n = 11). All patients underwent limbsparing surgery and IORT (median dose of 15 Gy) given either with high-dose-rate brachytherapy or a linear accelerator. 25 patients received additional EBRT with a mean of 50.6 Gy (range: 30.6-60 Gy). The mean follow-up time was 4.3 years (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.0-5.6 years).


RESULTS
The 5-year overall and distant disease-free survival rates were 66% and 54%, respectively. The overall actuarial recurrence rate after 5 years is 16% (95% CI: 1%, 31%). The crude rate after 8 years is 18%. Surgical margin status, primary versus recurrent tumor and tumor stage did not show any statistically significant influence (univariate analysis) on local recurrence rates. Patients with T1 tumors exhibited a borderline significant (p = 0.053) better distant disease-free survival (83%) compared to T2 tumors (43%). Five (24%) grade 3-4 late side effects were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with high-risk soft tissue sarcomas, IORT +/- EBRT after limb-preserving surgery achieves high local control rates. The risk of normal tissue toxicities is comparable to conventional limb-sparing treatment.
Kretzler
Annette
A
Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University Munich, Germany.
Molls
Michael
M
Gradinger
Reiner
R
Lukas
Peter
P
Steinau
Hans-Ullrich
HU
Würschmidt
Florian
F
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001918:Brachytherapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010315:Particle Accelerators; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome