title: Outcomes in a series of 103 retroperitoneal sarcomas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report the effect on outcome of selection in patients receiving intra-operative electron beam radiation (IOERT) and external beam radiation therapy (EBRT).
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and three patients treated for primary RS were studied. Median follow-up was 27 months. Clinical presentation, tumor characteristics, and treatment methods were analyzed to determine impact on survival and recurrence and if selection was occurring.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age was 55+/-17 years. Mean tumor size was 15+/-6cm and 88 were high-grade. Complete gross tumor resection (CR) occurred in 62 patients and improved survival vs. both debulking (p=0.0005) and biopsy (p<0.0001). The 5- and 10-year survival rates were 62% and 52% for those with CR vs. 29% and 20% after incomplete resection. Among the 62 CR patients, there was selection to receive additional EBRT+/-IOERT in patients with high-grade tumors (p=0.005) and/or microscopically positive margins (p=0.011). In these high-risk patients there was a trend for IOERT to further augment survival vs. EBRT alone and to increase the time to both local and distant recurrences (p=0.036).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Complete gross resection is the primary form of curative treatment for retroperitoneal sarcomas. Selection led to patients with high-risk tumors receiving additional radiation therapy. There appears to be a beneficial effect of IOERT plus EBRT in these high-risk patients after complete tumor resection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Medical Center Leeuwarden, Henri Dunantweg 2, P.O. Box 888, 8901 BR Leeuwarden, The Netherlands. j.pierie@znb.nl
authors.forename: J-P E N
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Pierie
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Betensky
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Choudry
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Willett
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Souba
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Ott
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012186:Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D015996:Survival Rate