title: Intraoperative electron-beam therapy for primary and recurrent retroperitoneal soft-tissue sarcoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study assesses the long-term outcome of patients with retroperitoneal soft-tissue sarcomas treated by maximal resection in combination with intraoperative electron-beam therapy (IOERT) and postoperative external-beam radiotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 1991 to 2004, 67 patients were treated with curative intent for primary (n = 26) or recurrent (n = 41) retroperitoneal soft-tissue sarcoma. All patients underwent maximal resection in combination with IOERT (mean dose, 15 Gy), 45 patients underwent additional postoperative EBRT, and 20 patients were previously irradiated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 5-year actuarial overall survival (OS), disease-free survival, local control (LC), and freedom from metastatic disease of all patients was 64%, 28%, 40%, and 50%, respectively. The 5-year LC inside the IOERT field was 72%. For patients who completed IOERT and EBRT after R0-resection 5-year and 10-year OS was 80%, and 5-year and 10-year LC was 100%. Only 1 of the 21 patients after R0-resection and only 8 of 34 patients after R1-resection compared with 9 of 12 patients after R2-resection experienced inside IOERT-field relapse. Grade II or higher late complications were seen in 21% of the patients, but only 2 patients required surgical intervention because of late complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In selected patients, IOERT results in excellent local control and survival, with acceptable morbidity.
authors: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. robert_krempien@med.uni-heidelberg.de
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Krempien
authors: Falk
authors: F
authors: Roeder
authors: Susanne
authors: S
authors: Oertel
authors: Jürgen
authors: J
authors: Weitz
authors: Frank W
authors: FW
authors: Hensley
authors: Carmen
authors: C
authors: Timke
authors: Angela
authors: A
authors: Funk
authors: Katja
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authors: Lindel
authors: Wolfgang
authors: W
authors: Harms
authors: Markus W
authors: MW
authors: Buchler
authors: Jürgen
authors: J
authors: Debus
authors: Martina
authors: M
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