Prognostic factors for patients with localized soft-tissue sarcoma treated with conservation surgery and radiation therapy: an analysis of 1225 patients.

Background: Prognostic factors for patients with soft-tissue sarcoma who are treated with conservative surgery and radiation are documented poorly.

Methods: The clinicopathologic features and disease outcome for 1225 patients with localized sarcoma who were treated with conservative surgery and radiation were reviewed retrospectively. Actuarial univariate and multivariate statistical methods were used to determine significant prognostic factors for local control, metastatic recurrence, and disease specific survival.

Results: The median follow-up of surviving patients was 9.5 years. The respective local control rates at 5 years, 10 years, and 15 years were 83%, 80%, and 79%. Factors predictive of local recurrence were positive or uncertain resection margins; tumors located in the head and neck and the deep trunk; presentation with local recurrence; patient age > 64 years; malignant fibrous histiocytoma, neurogenic sarcoma. or epithelioid sarcoma histopathology; tumor measuring > 10 cm in greatest dimension; and high pathologic grade. Freedom from metastasis at 5 years, 10 years, and 15 years was 71%, 68%, and 66%, respectively. Factors that were predictive of metastatic recurrence were high tumor grade; large tumor size (> 5 cm); and leiomyosarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, synovial sarcoma, or epithelioid sarcoma. The respective disease specific survival rates at 5 years, 10 years, and 15 years were 73%, 68%, and 65%. Adverse factors for disease specific survival were high tumor grade; large tumor size (> 5 cm); tumors located in the head and neck and deep trunk; rhabdomyosarcoma, epithelioid sarcoma, or clear cell sarcoma; patient age > 64 years; and positive or uncertain resection margins.

Conclusions: Soft-tissue sarcoma comprises a heterogeneous group of diseases. Prognostic factors for local recurrence, metastatic recurrence, lymph node recurrence, disease free survival, and disease specific survival are different, and optimal treatment strategies need to take this complexity into account.