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Updated: Jan 12, 2026
A Mouse Model of Incompletely Resected Soft Tissue Sarcoma for Testing Neoadjuvant Therapies
Published on: July 28, 2020
Unplanned resections in extremity soft tissue sarcomas: higher local recurrence, more complications and less chance
Facundo Miguel Galich1, José Ignacio Albergo2, Germán Luis Farfalli2
1Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Institute of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Carlos E. Ottolenghi, Buenos Aires, Argentina. facundo.galich@hospitalitaliano.org.ar.
Purpose:
To compare, in two groups of patients, the prognosis of unplanned resections of soft tissue sarcomas treated in a specialised centre, in terms of survival, local recurrence and complications.
Methods:
A retrospective investigation was performed between 2006-2016. A total of 191 patients were included. 147 (77%) were included in the control group (planned reactions) and 44 (23%) corresponded to the study group (unplanned resection). The control group, patients underwent primary limb salvage surgery by the orthopaedic oncology team and the study group those who were initially treated at another center and required a second oncologic surgery to achieve free margins. Overall survival, local recurrence, postoperative complications and prognostic factors were analyzed.
Results:
Overall survival at five years was 67% (95% CI: 62-76%). Compared to both groups, there was no significant difference (p = 0.22). The risk of LR at five years was 19.1% (95% CI: 18.89-19.30) for the control group and 35.64% (95% CI: 34.56-36.11) for the control group. for the study group (p = 0.047). Postoperative complications were significantly higher in the study group, 45% versus 21% (p < 0.01). We found a greater number of small tumours in the unplanned resection group.
Conclusions:
Unplanned resection of extremity soft tissue sarcomas does not affect the overall survival of patients, but has a higher risk of local recurrence, a higher risk of developing postoperative complications and a lower chance of limb preservation. This study underscores the importance of thorough preoperative evaluation, particularly for small (< 5 cm) soft tissue tumours of the limb, and supports referral to specialised centres for optimal management.
