Infantile fibrosarcoma: management based on the European experience

To retrospectively analyze the clinical features and results of treatment in 56 infants with fibrosarcoma enrolled onto cooperative European protocols between 1979 and 2005 and treated with a combination of surgery and chemotherapy.

We performed a retrospective case review of infants under the age of 2 years with fibrosarcoma treated between 1979 and 2005 in six European studies. Patients were staged according to the Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Staging System international classification as a function of the type of initial surgery and the extent of disease and were treated with surgery and chemotherapy. Survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method.

Primary tumor site was the limbs in 66% of patients; median tumor diameter was more than 5 cm in 63% of patients; and postoperative staging was as follows: group I, 22%; group II, 27%; group III, 47%; and group IV, 4%. Response rate to chemotherapy was 75%, and the specific response rate to vincristine-dactinomycin was 71%. Local control was obtained in 84% of patients. At the end of follow-up, 45% of survivors had been treated by surgery alone, 6% by chemotherapy alone, 46% by surgery and chemotherapy, and 2% by surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 89%. The 5-year OS and event-free survival rates for localized patients were 89% and 81%, respectively.

Although complete resection is rarely feasible at diagnosis, conservative surgery remains the mainstay treatment for infantile fibrosarcoma. An alkylating agent-free and anthracycline-free regimen is usually effective and should be chosen as first-line chemotherapy for inoperable tumors. Overall prognosis is good, but progression or relapse, mainly local, remains possible.