title: Practical radiation oncology for extremity sarcomas.
abstract: Soft tissue sarcomas are rare cancers. They should be managed by a multidisciplinary team with experience caring for these diverse malignancies. Local control is frequently achieved with a combination of radiation therapy and surgery. This article reviews the data supporting the role of adjuvant radiotherapy in the care of patients with soft tissue sarcoma and describes the side effects of surgery and radiation therapy. Preoperative radiation therapy increases the risk of wound complication from surgery, but has fewer long-term side effects than postoperative radiation therapy. The timing of radiation therapy can be tailored to each patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
authors.forename: Nicole A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Larrier
authors.forename: David G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Kirsch
authors.forename: Richard F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Riedel
authors.forename: Howard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Levinson
authors.forename: William C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Eward
authors.forename: Brian E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Brigman
mesh_terms: D005121:Extremities / Q000528:radiation effects*; D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis; D018787:Radiation Oncology; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*