title: Pharmacotherapy for pediatric soft-tissue sarcomas.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Soft-tissue sarcomas are rare, but they represent about 8% of all malignancies in pediatric age. Developing a multidisciplinary approach to treatment based on risk stratification has led to a dramatic improvement in survival, but a plateau has been reached with current treatment options in the last 20 years. Chemotherapy is usually effective for rhabdomyosarcoma and should be seen as the keystone of its treatment, while non-rhabdomyosarcoma soft-tissue sarcomas are still generally considered scarcely chemosensitive.
  
  
  METHODS
  An overview of current, emerging and possible future medical therapies for pediatric soft-tissue sarcomas is provided. Insight into different chemotherapeutic strategies based on risk stratification for rhabdomyosarcoma and non-rhabdomyosarcoma soft tissue sarcomas in pediatric age is given.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Integrating systemic therapy with local treatments (surgery and/or radiotherapy) is complex and requires adequate experience, which can only be assured by referral institutions. Future challenges include identifying novel targeted therapies and optimizing treatment protocols for customized patient care.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Via G Venezian 1, Milan, Italy. michela.casanova@istitutotumori.mi.it
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Casanova
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferrari
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D015195:Drug Design; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D006801:Humans; D012208:Rhabdomyosarcoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D012306:Risk; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D013534:Survival
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents