title: [Prognostic factors in patients with malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the extremities].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated prognostic factors in patients with malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the extremity.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 26 patients (22 males, 4 females; 15 patients < age 60) with a diagnosis of malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the extremity. Clinical and pathological data were analyzed including age, gender, affected extremity, presentation status (primary or recurrent), localization (proximal or distal), size, depth, and grade of the tumor, resection quality, adjuvant therapy, and the presence of distant metastasis at the time of diagnosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean follow-up of 16 patients who were alive was 44.8 months (range 24 to 120 months). The mean symptom duration before diagnosis was seven months (range 1 to 26 months). All the patients underwent surgical resection. A margin-negative R0 resection was obtained in 17 patients. Amputation was performed in seven patients. Adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy were administered to 17 patients and 10 patients, respectively. Local recurrence was detected in eight patients. Two patients had distant metastasis at the time of diagnosis while eight patients developed distant metastasis within a mean of 13 months (range 7 to 20 months) postoperatively. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed an overall five-year survival rate of 61.5%, being 100% in low-grade tumors, and 28.2% in high-grade tumors. Tumor grade was the only significant parameter affecting survival in both univariate (p=0.004) and multivariate (p=0.023) analyses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with high-grade malignant fibrous histiocytoma have a poorer prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Faith University School of Medicine, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Ankara. atalarhakan@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Atalar
authors.forename: Kerem
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Başarir
authors.forename: Yusuf
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yildiz
authors.forename: Yener
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sağlik
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005121:Extremities; D005260:Female; D051677:Histiocytoma, Malignant Fibrous / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D011859:Radiography; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology