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Adult head and neck soft tissue sarcomas
Susie A Chen1, Christopher G Morris, Robert J Amdur
1University of Miami School of Medicine, Florida, USA.
American Journal of Clinical Oncology
|June 1, 2005
Summary
Adults with head and neck soft tissue sarcomas have good outcomes with radiotherapy (RT) and surgery. Local recurrence is a key failure point, emphasizing the importance of tumor extent and grade for treatment success.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Radiation Oncology
- Surgical Oncology
Background:
- Soft tissue sarcomas in the head and neck region are rare malignancies.
- Treatment strategies aim for local control and long-term survival.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the treatment outcomes for adult patients diagnosed with head and neck soft tissue sarcomas.
- To identify factors influencing treatment success and failure patterns.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 39 adult patients treated between 1966 and 2003.
- Treatment modalities included radiotherapy (RT) alone or combined with surgery.
- Follow-up duration ranged up to 21 years, with a median of 8.7 years.
Main Results:
- Five-year local control rate was 78%, distant metastasis-free survival was 85%, cause-specific survival was 69%, and overall survival was 63%.
- Patients treated with surgery and RT demonstrated higher local control rates (82%) compared to definitive RT alone (50%).
Conclusions:
- Approximately two-thirds of patients with head and neck soft tissue sarcomas achieve cure with current treatment protocols.
- Local recurrence remains a significant challenge, underscoring the impact of tumor characteristics like extent, grade, and resectability on outcomes.