title: Radiation therapy: neoadjuvant, adjuvant, or not at all.
abstract: Clinical trial data show that radiation enhances local tumor control of extremity sarcomas with acceptable morbidity when sophisticated radiation techniques are combined with limb-sparing resections performed by oncologic surgeons with sarcoma expertise. Similar controlled data is not available for retroperitoneal sarcomas but some studies suggest a benefit for radiotherapy. Radiation can be delivered by external beam or brachytherapy; it can be given pre-operatively, post-operatively, or intra-operatively. Indications for and advances in radiation therapy are discussed in this article.
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. tdelaney@partners.org
authors.forename: Thomas F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Delaney
mesh_terms: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000379:methods; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000532:radiotherapy; D018579:Patient Selection; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D061766:Proton Therapy; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D050397:Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated; D012186:Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D004317:Doxorubicin