Soft tissue sarcoma of the extremity. Limb salvage after failure of combined conservative therapy

To assess the results of salvage therapy using surgery alone or surgery and re-irradiation for patients with locally recurrent extremity soft tissue sarcoma (STS) following conservative surgery and radiotherapy.

25 patients with locally recurrent STS after conservative surgery and irradiation were assessed between 1990 and 1995. Two patients with concurrent systemic relapse were treated palliatively. Seven patients were not candidates for conservative re-excision and underwent amputation, 11 patients underwent conservative resection without irradiation. Seven of these patients relapsed, and five went on to receive combined conservative surgery and re-irradiation. A further five patients initially received combined retreatment, for a total of ten patients treated with combined conservative surgery and re-irradiation. Six of these ten patients were treated with brachytherapy alone, one with brachytherapy and external beam therapy, and three with external beam therapy alone. The median retreatment dose was 49.5 Gy (range 35-65 Gy), and the median cumulative soft tissue dose was 100 Gy (range 93-120 Gy).

The median follow-up from the most recent treatment is 24 months (range 7-42 months). At the last follow-up 14 patients are alive and disease free; two are alive with local disease and four with systemic disease, and five are dead of disease. Overall local control is 19/23 (91%). The local control for patients treated with conservative excision without irradiation is 4/11 (36%) and for conservative excision with re-irradiation 10/10 (100%). Six (60%) of these patients experienced significant post-irradiation would-healing complications, but three have recovered fully. Functional scores for the entire treated group are significantly lower after treatment, as are those for patients undergoing combined surgery and re-irradiation, but 70% of those treated with conservative surgery and re-irradiation and a good or excellent post-treatment functional score.

Combined conservative surgery and re-irradiation provided superior local control to local re-excision alone and a functional outcome superior to amputation. Combined treatment with re-irradiation should be considered the primary salvage therapy for patients who fail combined therapy and who are suitable for conservative re-excision. Systemic relapse is a significant problem, and optimal therapy should minimize the risk of local relapse after the initial therapy. Eighteen patients (72%) had a history of intralesional excision as their initial intervention, and suggests that inappropriate initial management is a risk factor for relapse after combined conservative therapy. Improvements in therapy must include the appropriate education of the primary care physicians.