[Responses of 109 adult soft tissue sarcoma patients to chemotherapy]

The response of adult soft tissue sarcoma (STS) to chemotherapy is uncertain. This study was to evaluate the role of chemotherapy in treating adult soft tissue sarcoma.

Clinical data of 109 adult soft tissue sarcoma patients, treated with chemotherapy at Cancer Center of Sun Yat-sen University from Jan. 2000 to Dec. 2005, were analyzed.

Of the 109 patients, 66 received palliative chemotherapy, 40 received adjuvant chemotherapy, and 3 received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The overall response rate for first line chemotherapy was 22.7%. The median survival was 16.9 months. The 1-and 2-year survival rates were 63.6% and 33.3%. The patients with lung metastasis had a significantly longer median survival than those with liver metastasis did (25.1 months vs. 11.8 months, P<0.05). MAID and CYVADIC were the most commonly used first-line chemotherapy regimens; the response rates were 28.0% and 22.2%, respectively. When anthracycline and/or standard dose ifosfamide failed, the patients could still benefit from high dose ifosfamide (14.0 g/m(2)). The median survival was significantly shorter in the patients who got metastasis within 6 months after diagnosis than in those that got metastasis more than 6 months after diagnosis (11.8 months vs. 42.9 months, P=0.04). Of the 40 patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy, 16 developed progression during follow-up: 10 had relapse and 6 had distant metastasis.

MAID and CYVADIC are two effective chemotherapy regimens for adult soft tissue sarcoma. We recommend to take a high dose ifosfamide when anthracycline and/or standard dose ifosfamide failed. The patients with liver metastasis are more resistant to chemotherapy than those with lung metastasis. Developing metastasis within 6 months after diagnosis is a poor prognostic factor.