Management of extremity soft-tissue sarcoma.

Overview

Soft-tissue sarcomas remain relatively uncommon neoplasms, but they present major problems for both the patient and clinician. The identification of prognostic variables based on both clinical and histologic factors has allowed comparisons to be made between various therapeutic regimens. In extremity sarcoma, a more conservative operation utilizing adjuvant radiotherapy has decreased the need for radical surgery and maximized function without loss of survival benefit. The identification of high-risk groups, that is, patients with high-grade, large lesions, has highlighted the inadequacies of treatment in some areas. Similarly, this has led to more aggressive and innovative developmental programs. The progress, understanding, and therapeutic management of extremity lesions have not been matched in visceral and retroperitoneal tumors. Current efforts are directed at more appropriate use of radical surgery, maximizing conservative function-sparing operations with the use of adjuvant local therapy, and development of new regimens directed at prevention and treatment of metastatic disease.