Clinicopathologic characteristics, treatment outcomes, and prognostic factors of primary thoracic soft tissue sarcoma: A multicenter study of the Anatolian Society of Medical Oncology (ASMO).
BACKGROUND
Soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) are rare malignant tumors of embryogenic mesoderm origin. Primary thoracic STSs account for a small percentage of all STSs and limited published information is available. This study aimed to identify the prognostic factors for thoracic STSs and evaluate the disease's clinical outcomes.


METHODS
The medical records of 109 patients with thoracic STSs who were treated between 2003 and 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients' survival rates were analyzed and potential prognostic factors evaluated.


RESULTS
The median follow-up period was 29 months (range: 1-121 months). STSs were most frequently localized on the chest wall (n = 42; 38.5%) and lungs (n = 42; 38.5%). The most common histological types were malignant fibrous histiocytoma (n = 23; 21.1%), liposarcoma (n = 17; 15.6%), and leiomyosarcoma (n = 16; 14.7%). The median survival time of all patients was 40.3 months (95% confidence interval, 14.22-66.37 months), with one and five-year survival rates of 93.4% and 63.5%, respectively. Univariate analysis of all groups revealed that metastatic stage, unresectability, tumor diameter of >10 cm, tumor location other than the chest wall, and grade 3 diseases were predictable of poor survival. However, only grade 3 diseases and tumor location other than the chest wall were confirmed by multivariate analysis as poor prognostic factors.


CONCLUSIONS
Primary thoracic STSs are rarely seen malignant tumors. Our results indicated that patients with low-grade tumors and those localized on the chest wall often experienced better survival outcomes.
Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Ataturk University Medical Faculty Erzurum, Turkey.
Olcun Umit
OU
Unal
Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University Medical Faculty Izmir, Turkey.
Ilhan
I
Oztop
Department of Medical Oncology, Dr. Lutfi Kirdar Kartal Education and Research Hospital Istanbul, Turkey.
Nurgul
N
Yasar
Department of Medical Oncology, Dicle University Faculty of Medicine Diyarbakir, Turkey.
Zuhat
Z
Urakci
Department of Medical Oncology, Dr. Abdurrahman Yurtaslan Training and Research Hospital Ankara, Turkey.
Tahsin
T
Ozatli
Department of Medical Oncology, Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine Kayseri, Turkey.
Oktay
O
Bozkurt
Department of Medical Oncology, Gaziantep University Faculty of Medicine Gaziantep, Turkey.
Alper
A
Sevinc
Department of Medical Oncology, Gazi University Faculty of Medicine Ankara, Turkey.
Yusuf
Y
Gunaydin
Department of Medical Oncology, Pamukkale University Faculty of Medicine Denizli, Turkey.
Burcu
B
Yapar Taskoylu
Department of Medical Oncology, Sakarya Education and Research Hospital Sakarya, Turkey.
Erkan
E
Arpaci
Department of Medical Oncology, Ali Sonmez Oncology Hospital Bursa, Turkey.
Arife
A
Ulas
Department of Medical Oncology, Trakya University Faculty of Medicine Edirne, Turkey.
Hilmi
H
Kodaz
Department of Medical Oncology, Gazi University Faculty of Medicine Ankara, Turkey.
Onder
O
Tonyali
Department of Medical Oncology, Balikesir Goverment Hospital Balikesir, Turkey.
Nilufer
N
Avci
Department of Medical Oncology, Firat University Faculty of Medicine Elazig, Turkey.
Asude
A
Aksoy
Department of Medical Oncology, Izmir University Faculty of Medicine Izmir, Turkey.
Ahmet Ugur
AU
Yilmaz
Primary thoracic soft tissue sarcoma; prognostic factors; treatment