Role of Preoperative Radiotherapy for Pediatric and Adolescent Patients with Soft Tissue Sarcoma: A Review by the...

Achieving local control in pediatric soft tissue sarcoma using a combination of surgical resection and/or radiotherapy (RT) requires complex decision-making that benefits from multi-disciplinary discussion. While there is a paucity of data in the pediatric and adolescent and young adult (AYA) population, neoadjuvant RT is routinely utilized in adult practice with several benefits to this approach. This review from the APSA Cancer Committee in collaboration with colleagues in radiation oncology aims to provide a summary of the current literature regarding optimal timing of radiation therapy for patients with soft tissue sarcoma. We aim to address the practical challenges that perioperative RT portends and offer insight for maximizing both oncologic and functional outcomes in the pediatric population.