title: The role of regional chemotherapy in the management of extremity soft tissue malignancies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Regional chemotherapy involves the targeted delivery of high dose chemotherapy to an affected area. In the limbs, the two main methods employed are isolated limb perfusion (ILP) and isolated limb infusion (ILI), with advantages and disadvantages to each technique. The aim of this review was to clarify the roles of each technique in the management of locally advanced soft tissue malignancies of the extremities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Relevant articles were identified from a comprehensive literature search using the PubMed database. Keywords included isolated limb perfusion, isolated limb infusion, in-transit melanoma and sarcoma. No restrictions on publication date were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Regional chemotherapy may be used to secure local control in a range of soft tissue malignancies not amenable to standard excision and is increasingly used as an induction treatment in soft tissue sarcoma. Though both ILI and ILP are well established in the management of in-transit melanoma, ILP should be preferentially used in soft tissue sarcoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Regional chemotherapy is an effective treatment for locally advanced extremity malignancies and the technique used should be tailored to patient and tumour factors.
authors.affiliation: Sarcoma and Melanoma Unit, The Department of Academic Surgery, The Royal Marsden Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom. Electronic address: henrygsmith@doctors.org.uk.
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Sarcoma and Melanoma Unit, The Department of Academic Surgery, The Royal Marsden Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Hayes
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010478:Chemotherapy, Cancer, Regional Perfusion / Q000379:methods*; D005121:Extremities; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008558:Melphalan / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012380:Role; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D008558:Melphalan
keywords: In-transit melanoma; Isolated limb infusion; Isolated limb perfusion; Soft tissue sarcoma