Soft tissue sarcomas in Auckland 1974-1984: a review of 105 cases

We have reviewed the records of 105 patients with the diagnosis of soft tissue sarcoma seen in the Auckland region between January 1974 and December 1984. The mean age at diagnosis was 54 years and the average duration of symptoms prior to specialist assessment was 8 months. By the time of presentation 27% of patients had metastatic disease. Forty-six patients underwent biopsy-type procedures and of these only one patient was alive and apparently disease free at one year. Three were alive with disease at an average of 2.2 years, 29 of the 46 had died of their sarcoma at one year and five of the 46 died of other causes. Fifty nine patients had definitive reactions performed and 26 of were alive with disease at an average of 2.2 years, 29 of the 46 had died of their sarcoma at one year and five of the 46 died of these were alive and disease free at two years. Six were alive with recurrent disease and 15 had died of sarcoma 1.9 years after presentation. In terms of site of the primary, patients with limb sarcomas fared better than those with retroperitoneal lesions, whereas sarcomas in other locations had survival figures in between these two groups. Soft tissue sarcomas consitute an aggressive and unforgiving type of cancer, and to entertain any realistic chance of cure complete resection of the lesion must be achieved. However, the patients presented to specialist attention at a relatively late stage of their disease, and the chances of survival are dependent both on the site of the primary lesion and on whether or not definitive surgery and adjuvant therapy is employed.