Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 25, 2026

Establishment of a Primary Culture of Patient-derived Soft Tissue Sarcoma
Published on: April 11, 2018
Outcomes Following Combined Modality Treatment to the Primary Site in Select Patients With Metastatic Soft Tissue
Andrew J Arifin1, Andrew J Bishop2, Devarati Mitra2
1Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas; Division of Radiation Oncology, Verspeeten Family Cancer Centre/Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
Purpose:
Select patients with metastatic soft tissue sarcoma (STS) may benefit from more aggressive treatment of their primary tumor. We report on the use of combined modality treatment (CMT) using preoperative radiation therapy (RT) followed by surgery to improve local control.
Methods And Materials:
We retrospectively reviewed the data of 19 patients with metastatic STS consecutively treated at our institution with CMT between 2018 and 2023. All patients received moderately hypofractionated 40.05 Gy in 15 fractions followed by surgery. Patients were selected for CMT based on factors that were likely to predict longer survival despite having metastatic disease such as oligometastatic disease (≤5 lesions) and favorable response to systemic therapy.
Results:
The median size of the primary tumor was 7.6 cm (IQR, 4.4-12.7 cm). Fourteen patients (74%) received systemic therapy immediately before (n = 10) or after (n = 4) CMT. Seven patients (37%) underwent additional metastasis-directed local therapy following CMT to other sites. Pain reduction after CMT was documented in 89% of patients who presented with pain (n = 8 of 9). Median follow-up was 21 months. Two-year local recurrence-free survival, progression-free/distant recurrence-free survival, and overall/cancer-specific survival were 92%, 29%, and 65%, respectively. One patient (5%) had local recurrence. For patients who were not planned to have adjuvant systemic therapy, median systemic therapy-free survival was 15 months. The rate of wound complications within 120 days of surgery was 16%. No planned adjuvant therapy was delayed because of wound complications; all patients commenced systemic therapy within 3 months of surgery. The rate of late RT toxicities was 26%; there were no grade ≥3 late toxicities.
Conclusions:
For properly selected patients with metastatic STS with good performance status and long expected survival, a CMT strategy for the primary tumor with moderately hypofractionated preoperative RT offers favorable local control, low toxicity, and pain mitigation without significant effect on systemic therapy resumption.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Sensory Modalities
General senses refer to the broad category of sensory information detected by receptors in the body and can be further grouped into somatic and visceral senses. Somatic sensations include touch, pressure, temperature, and pain and are essential for navigating our environment and...
Predicting Reaction Outcomes
Outcomes of Glycolysis
Cellular respiration can occur aerobically (with oxygen) or anaerobically (without oxygen). In the presence of oxygen, cellular respiration starts with glycolysis and continues with pyruvate...
Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) and Cancer
RSV is a retrovirus that contains two copies of a plus-strand RNA genome. Its genome consists of four main open...
Guidelines for Writing Outcome
Patient outcomes reflect the patient's response to the goal rather than what the nurse aims to achieve. Terminology should be observable and measurable to avoid the reader's interpretation. The desired outcome should be realistic and achievable in the designated care timeframe. Expected outcomes should align with adjunctive therapies. The outcome should enhance care...
What is Natural Selection?

