Outcomes and prognostic factors of post-irradiation and de novo sarcomas of the head and neck: a histologically matched case-control study.

Background: This study was designed to compare post-irradiation sarcomas (PIS) and de novo sarcomas (DN) of the head and neck in terms of tumor characteristics, prognostic factors, and survival outcomes.

Methods: All (N=83) head and neck sarcoma patients treated at National Cancer Centre, Singapore (Feb 2002-May 2011) were included: DN (N=60; 72%); PIS (N=23; 28%). Clinicopathologic features and outcomes of all patients and histologically matched pairs were compared.