Limb-sparing therapy for soft tissue sarcomas

Effective therapy for soft tissue sarcoma of the extremities continues in its lengthy evolution from mandatory amputation or radical compartment resection to multimodality limb salvage procedures. This current approach typically includes preoperative neoadjuvant systemic chemotherapy, followed by negative margin surgical resection in conjunction with radiotherapy. The scope and functional outcome of these resections has been markedly enhanced by the application of microvascular-dependent free tissue transfer techniques. Because of the rarity of this tumor system, problems in soft tissue sarcoma receive proportionally less attention. Nonetheless, the past year has witnessed several important advances in this field, as is discussed.