Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 15, 2026
Establishment of a Primary Culture of Patient-derived Soft Tissue Sarcoma
Published on: April 11, 2018
Benefit assessment of novel systemic therapies for bone and soft tissue sarcomas: a cross-sectional study
Qiang He1,2, Zhen Wang3, Jie Mei1
1Department of Orthopedics, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine Affiliated Nanjing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
Background:
Bone and soft tissue sarcomas are rare malignancies, and their heterogeneity has limited the development of novel drugs. This study aimed to apply two validated tools to evaluate the clinical benefits of novel drug therapies for sarcoma developed over the last decade.
Methods:
The PubMed and Embase databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of systemic therapies for sarcomas published between 2013 and 2023. Each trial was scored according to the European Society of Medical Oncology-Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale version 1.1 (ESMO-MCBS) and the American Society of Clinical Oncology-Value Framework version 2 (ASCO-VF).
Results:
We included 52 RCTs in this study, of which 17 (32.7%) reported positive results that favored the experimental arm. The ESMO-MCBS grades were determined in 14/17 positive trials, and three of them (21.4%) met the threshold for meaningful clinical benefit. Likewise, ASCO-VF scores were calculated for 11/17 positive trials, and three of them (27.3%) met the threshold for meaningful clinical benefit. Weak correlation (r = 0.38, P = 0.277) and agreement (κ = 0.211, P = 0.490) were observed between the two frameworks.
Conclusion:
Only a few RCTs with positive results have demonstrated substantial patient benefits for bone and soft tissue sarcomas over the past decade.
Insights
Novel drug therapies for bone and soft tissue sarcomas show limited clinical benefit. A decade of research reveals few treatments offer substantial patient advantages, highlighting challenges in sarcoma drug development.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Clinical Pharmacology
Background:
- Bone and soft tissue sarcomas are rare and heterogeneous cancers.
- Drug development for these malignancies has been historically challenging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the clinical benefits of novel systemic therapies for sarcoma over the past decade.
- To apply the European Society of Medical Oncology-Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale (ESMO-MCBS) and the American Society of Clinical Oncology-Value Framework (ASCO-VF) to assess treatment efficacy.
Main Methods:
- A systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between 2013 and 2023 was conducted.
- Searches were performed on PubMed and Embase databases for systemic sarcoma therapies.
- Included RCTs were scored using ESMO-MCBS v1.1 and ASCO-VF v2.
Main Results:
- Out of 52 included RCTs, 17 (32.7%) demonstrated positive results favoring the experimental treatment.
- Only 3 of the 17 positive trials (21.4% by ESMO-MCBS, 27.3% by ASCO-VF) met criteria for meaningful clinical benefit.
- A weak correlation and agreement were found between the ESMO-MCBS and ASCO-VF scoring systems.
Conclusions:
- Few novel systemic therapies for bone and soft tissue sarcomas have shown significant patient benefit in the last decade.
- The heterogeneity of sarcomas presents ongoing challenges for developing effective treatments.
- Further research is needed to improve clinical outcomes for sarcoma patients.
