Treatment for soft tissue sarcoma in childhood and adolescence. Austrian results within the CWS 96 study.

Objective: The aim of the CWS 96 Study was to achieve an optimal treatment in children and adolescents with soft tissue sarcoma (STS) implementing a further refinement of risk-adapted allocation to chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy.

Methods: Treatment stratification was based on tumour histology, TNM status, postsurgical stage, localisation and age. Local tumour control was ensured by surgery and risk-adapted radiotherapy.

Results: From 1995 to 2002, 89 patients were registered in Austria. The 3-year event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival rates (OS) were 63% +/- 6% and 71% +/- 6%, respectively. 59/89 patients had localised RMS-like (rhabdomayosarcoma) STS (EFS 73% +/- 7%), 14 had localised NON-RMS STS (EFS 54% +/- 16%) and 15 patients had metastatic disease at diagnosis (EFS 33% +/- 12%), 1 patient had fibromatosis. The EFS rates at 3 years in patients with localised RMS-like tumours according to risk group were 92% +/- 8% for low and standard risk (12 patients) and 67% +/- 8% for high risk (47 patients). Favourable primary tumour sites of nonmetastatic RMS-like STS i.e. orbit, head/neck nonparameningeal or genitourinary non-bladder/prostate were diagnosed in 15 patients (1/15 patients died). In 44 patients with unfavourable localisation such as parameningeal, genitourinary bladder/prostate, extremity and others, 7 deceased. The 3 year EFS according to histology in patients with RMS-like STS was 61% +/- 11% for RME (embryonal RMS ) (28 patients) and 71% +/- 15% for RMA (alveolar RMS) (10 patients). The most common treatment failure was local relapse occurring in 21% of patients in the high-risk group.

Conclusion: Risk-adapted individualisation of treatment led to a reduction of chemotherapy in the low and standard risk group without compromising survival. The outcome of RME and RMA was similar in this cohort of patients. These preliminary results after a median observation time of 2.5 years confirm the CWS 96 strategy.