Limb salvage from a multidisciplinary treatment approach for skeletal and soft tissue sarcomas of the extremity

Multimodality management of extremity skeletal and soft tissue sarcomas with preoperative intra-arterial Adriamycin and radiation therapy, radical surgical resection and postoperative chemotherapy or chemo-immunotherapy has resulted in preservation of a functional extremity in 13 or 14 patients. Seven of 8 patients with Stage IIIA and IIIB soft tissue sarcomas, managed with preoperative intra-arterial Adriamycin and radiation therapy, followed by en bloc soft tissue resection and 6 patients with bone sarcomas managed by preoperative treatment, followed by bone resection and replacement with cadaver bone allografts, remained free of disease from 4 to 34 months. The results of the combined modality approach were significantly better than the results obtained in patients managed by surgical resection alone, or by combination of operation with another single modality, both in terms of short term-recurrence free survival and salvage of a functional extremity.