title: Treatment outcome of postoperative radiotherapy for retroperitoneal sarcoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the treatment outcome and prognostic factor after postoperative radiotherapy in retroperitoneal sarcoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty patients were treated with surgical resection and postoperative radiotherapy for retroperitoneal sarcoma from August 1990 to August 2008. Treatment volume was judged by the location of initial tumor and surgical field, and 45-50 Gy of radiation was basically delivered and additional dose was considered to the high-risk area.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median follow-up period was 41.4 months (range, 3.9 to 140.6 months). The 5-year overall survival (OS) was 51.8% and disease free survival was 31.5%. The 5-year locoregional recurrence free survival was 61.9% and distant metastasis free survival was 50.6%. In univariate analysis, histologic type (p = 0.006) was the strongest prognostic factor for the OS and histologic grade (p = 0.044) or resection margin (p = 0.032) had also effect on the OS. Histologic type (p = 0.004) was unique significant prognostic factor for the actuarial local control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Retroperitoneal sarcoma still remains as a poor prognostic disease despite the combined modality treatment including surgery and postoperative radiotherapy. Selective dose-escalation of radiotherapy or combination of effective chemotherapeutic agent must be considered to improve the treatment result especially for the histopathologic type showing poor prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Si Yeol
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Tae-Won
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Jeong Hwan
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yook
authors.forename: Song-Cheol
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Duck-Jong
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Choung-Soo
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hanjong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Heung Moon
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Jin-Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Eun Jin
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Jwa
authors.forename: Sang-Wook
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jong Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Eun Kyung
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Seong Soo
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Seung Do
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Ahn