Adjuvant high dose rate brachytherapy for soft tissue sarcomas: initial experience report.

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Radiation Oncology
• Surgical Oncology

Background:

• Adjuvant high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDRBT) is increasingly recognized for its potential benefits in soft tissue sarcoma (STS) treatment.
• Limited data exist regarding local tumor control and treatment-related toxicity for HDRBT compared to low dose rate brachytherapy (LDRBT).
• This study focuses on outcomes in patients with primary, recurrent, and metastatic extremity and superficial trunk soft tissue sarcomas.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and safety of adjuvant high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDRBT) in patients with soft tissue sarcoma (STS).
• To assess local tumor control and treatment-related toxicity following surgical resection and HDRBT.
• To report outcomes in a cohort of patients with extremity and superficial trunk STS.

Main Methods:

• Eleven patients (12 sites) with intermediate or high-grade STS underwent surgical resection followed by adjuvant HDRBT.
• Patients received 3.4 Gy fractions delivered twice daily, totaling 34 Gy (one patient received 9 fractions).
• Median follow-up was 20.8 months.

Main Results:

• One local recurrence was observed among the 12 treated sites.
• The 2-year local control rate was 89%, and the 2-year overall survival rate was 71%.
• Wound complications occurred in 3 sites, with two complications in areas previously treated with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT).

Conclusions:

• Surgical resection combined with adjuvant HDRBT demonstrates excellent early local tumor control for soft tissue sarcomas.
• The treatment is associated with acceptable wound complication rates, particularly when considering prior radiation exposure.
• Adjuvant HDRBT represents a viable and effective treatment option for selected patients with STS.