Outcome after surgical resections of recurrent chest wall sarcomas

Sarcomas of the chest wall are rare, and wide surgical resection is generally the cornerstone of treatment. The objective of our study was to evaluate outcome of full-thickness resections of recurrent and primary chest wall sarcomas.

To evaluate morbidity, mortality, and overall and disease-free survival after surgical resection of primary and recurrent chest wall sarcomas, we performed a retrospective review of all patients with sarcomas of the chest wall surgically treated at two tertiary oncologic referral centers between January 1980 and December 2006. Patient, tumor, and treatment characteristics, as well as the follow-up of these patients, were retrieved from the patients' original records.

One hundred twenty-seven patients were included in this study, 83 patients with a primary sarcoma and 44 patients with a recurrence. Age, sex, tumor size, histologic type, grade and localization on the chest wall were similar for both groups. Fewer neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapies were used in the treatment of recurrences. Chest wall resection was more extensive in the recurrent group, which did not result in more complications (23%) or more reinterventions (5%). Microscopically radical resection was achieved in 80% of the primary sarcomas and 64% of the recurrences. With a median follow-up of 73 months, disease-free survival after surgery for recurrences was 18 months versus 36 months for primary sarcomas, with 5-year survival rates of 50% and 63%, respectively.

Although chances for local control are lower after surgical treatment of recurrent chest wall sarcoma, chest wall resection is a safe and effective procedure, with an acceptable survival.