Postoperative Limb Function and QOL in Elderly Patients With Malignant Bone Tumor/Soft Tissue Sarcoma.

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Oncology
• Geriatric Surgery
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Malignant bone tumors (MBT) and soft tissue sarcomas (STS) necessitate wide excision surgery.
• Increasing elderly population undergoing sarcoma treatment raises concerns about functional outcomes and quality of life (QOL).
• Limited data exists on the functional prognosis and QOL for elderly sarcoma patients post-surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate postoperative limb function and QOL in elderly patients (>70 years) with MBT and STS.
• To identify factors influencing functional outcomes and QOL after sarcoma surgery in the elderly.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of 67 elderly patients (>70 years) with MBT or STS.
• Utilized Toronto Extremity Salvage Score (TESS), EuroQoL 5-dimension 5-level (EQ-5D-5L), Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) score, and psoas muscle index (PMI).
• Assessed factors associated with postoperative TESS and EQ-5D-5L index.

Main Results:

• Significant perioperative decline in manual dexterity, walking ability, and support, but improvement in pain and emotional acceptance.
• Mean psoas muscle index (PMI) decreased significantly (4.7 to 4.23).
• Postoperative mean TESS was 76.9 and EQ-5D-5L index was 0.74; good preoperative performance status correlated with better outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Postoperative limb function, satisfaction, and QOL can be maintained in elderly sarcoma patients.
• Patient selection based on good condition and procedure choice aligned with patient desires are crucial.
• Perioperative sarcopenia progression requires attention in this patient group.