title: Prognostic factors and follow-up strategy for superficial soft-tissue sarcomas: Analysis of 622 surgically treated patients from the scandinavian sarcoma group register.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our study aimed to describe the clinical outcome of patients with superficial soft-tissue sarcomas (SSTS), define prognostic factors and provide evidence for a rational surveillance scheme.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data for 622 consecutive, surgically treated SSTS patients were retrieved from the Scandinavian Sarcoma Group Register. We assessed the rates of local recurrence (LR) and metastasis (M), as well as overall survival (OS), local recurrence free-survival (LRFS) and metastasis-free survival (MFS) of the cohort.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of LR and M was 9% and 12%, respectively. OS at 5 years was 79%, LRFS was 74% and MFS 76%. Factors that affected OS, LRFS, and MFS were tumor size and patient age. Additionally, tumor grade was an independent prognostic factor for LRFS. The majority of LR and M events were observed the first 2 years of follow-up. Clear surgical margins were correlated to lower risk for LR. Selected patients benefited from adjuvant radiotherapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SSTS have a favourable prognosis, which is mainly determined by tumour-associated factors. Adequate surgical margins are important for local control, whereas radiotherapy has a secondary role. The data support current surveillance schemes, with a closer follow-up the first 2 years after surgery.
authors.affiliation: Section of Orthopaedics, Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institute and Department of Orthopaedics, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tsagozis
authors.affiliation: Section of Orthopaedics, Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institute and Department of Orthopaedics, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Henrik C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Skåne University Hospital in Lund, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Emelie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Styring
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway and Department of Oncology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Clement S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Trovik
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncological Surgery, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Zaikova
authors.affiliation: Section of Orthopaedics, Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institute and Department of Orthopaedics, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Otte
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Brosjö
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011379:Prognosis; D012042:Registries; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D012537:Scandinavian and Nordic Countries / Q000453:epidemiology; D016019:Survival Analysis; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: sarcoma; soft tissue; subcutaneous; superficial; surveillance