Prognostic value of necrosis after neoadjuvant therapy for soft tissue sarcoma.

Background And Objectives: While treatment-induced tissue necrosis is a well-documented predictor of patient survival in malignant bone tumors, its prognostic value in soft tissue sarcomas is controversial. A prior study from our institution did not find a prognostic value to tumor necrosis. We analyze a more extensive database of high-grade soft tissue sarcomas treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or both to re-evaluate if the degree of tumor necrosis alone can be used as a predictive factor for local recurrence, metastasis, and disease-specific survival.

Methods: Two hundred and seven patients with high-grade extremity soft tissue sarcoma received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy and wide excision. Tumor treatment response was determined by histopathologic analysis, and patients were followed for local recurrence, metastasis, or death.

Results: Tumor necrosis ≥ 90% correlates with improved disease-free survival with univariate analysis, but this does not reach statistical significance on multivariate analysis. Age and tumor volume were found to be the only independent predictors of disease-free survival on multivariate analysis.

Conclusions: There is insufficient evidence to support the use of necrosis to prognosticate survival and alter chemoradiation regimens in high grade soft tissue sarcomas of the extremity. Larger studies are needed to definitively address the prognostic value of necrosis.

Level Of Evidence: Level II, Prognostic