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Updated: Apr 17, 2026
A Mouse Model of Incompletely Resected Soft Tissue Sarcoma for Testing Neoadjuvant Therapies
Published on: July 28, 2020
Diagnostic triage for sarcoma: an effective model for reducing referrals to the sarcoma multidisciplinary team
A Shah1, R Botchu, R U Ashford
11 Department of Radiology, University Hospitals of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
Objective:
Soft-tissue lesions are common and often benign. Owing to the rarity of soft-tissue sarcomas (STSs), evidence has shown that patients are increasingly referred urgently onto the 2-week wait pathway, which may have a detrimental impact on the management of patients with a proven STS. Imaging plays a vital role in lesion characterization and can be used to triage referrals to reduce the caseload of a sarcoma multidisciplinary team (MDT). In our institution, we established a sarcoma diagnostic triage meeting (SDTM). This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the SDTM in reducing non-sarcomatous referrals to the main sarcoma MDT.
Methods:
A retrospective review of the SDTM minutes from July 2011 to June 2012 was performed. Data collected for each case included details of referrer, referral modality and referral outcome.
Results:
165 cases were reviewed. 58% of referrals underwent a core biopsy or surgical excision with 85% benign pathology, the commonest being lipoma. 15% of referrals were sarcomatous lesions and were referred onwards to the main MDT.
Conclusion:
A total of 82% of the patients referred urgently with a suspicious soft-tissue mass was managed by the SDTM and hence not referred onwards to the East Midlands Sarcoma Service MDT. A diagnostic triage is effective in reducing the caseload burden of the main MDT and allowing it to be more effective.
Advances In Knowledge:
Referrals based on imaging can be prioritized by diagnostic triage. Diagnostic triage established in our institution reduced 82% of MDT referrals allowing a more focused MDT discussion on patients with a proven sarcoma.
