title: Intra-muscular location in soft tissue sarcomas: impact on oncologic outcome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Soft tissue sarcoma (STS) of intra-muscular location is confined within well-defined barrier, amenable to easier surgical resection. It is generally assumed that STS of intra-muscular location would have favorable outcomes compared to those of inter-muscular location. However, no clear evidence on this assumption can be found. This study examined if intra-muscular location of STS would have favorable effect on oncologic outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Among the 161 patients treated for previously untreated, non-metastatic and deep-seated STS, extra-compartmental tumors (65) or tumors that spread beyond the muscle of origin (23) were excluded. Remaining 73 patients were classified into two groups according to tumor location; intra-muscular group (confined within muscle of origin, n = 32) and inter-muscular group (located between muscles, n = 41).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two patients (6.3%) in intra-muscular group developed local recurrence whereas 10 patients (24.3%) developed local recurrence in inter-muscular group (p = 0.056). Patients in intra-muscular group showed significantly better local recurrence-free survival than those in inter-muscular group (p = 0.029). However, there was no significant difference in development of metastasis (p = 0.143) nor disease-specific survival (p = 0.106).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study indicates that STS of intra-muscular location is associated with better local control. Whether this advantage is due to its biological property or surgical resectability remains to be elucidated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-744, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: hankim@snu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: H-S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Orthopedic Oncology Clinic, National Cancer Center, 323 Ilsan-ro, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do 410-769, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: osdocjune@gmail.com.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-744, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: idolt@naver.com.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-744, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: hik19@snu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001132:Arm / Q000601:surgery*; D059186:Chemoradiotherapy, Adjuvant; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000601:surgery*; D007890:Leiomyosarcoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D008080:Liposarcoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D019042:Muscle Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D013584:Sarcoma, Synovial / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Barrier; Compartment; Intra-muscular; Outcome; Soft tissue sarcoma