Late treatment-related complications in 214 patients with extremity soft-tissue sarcoma treated by surgery and postoperative radiation therapy.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

We assessed the occurrence of long-bone fracture and other side effects in a group of 214 consecutive patients who underwent radical excision for soft-tissue sarcoma of the limb followed by postoperative irradiation.

METHODS:

Two hundred fourteen patients underwent postoperative irradiation after radical excision of soft-tissue sarcoma of the limb; 156 (73%) received postoperative brachytherapy (BRT) plus external-beam radiation therapy (EBRT), and 58 (27%) underwent postoperative EBRT only. All patients were followed-up for a median time of 4.5 years (range 3 months to 10 years).

RESULTS:

Seven patients developed bone fracture, which is considered severe morbidity; time between surgery and occurrence of fracture ranged between 10 and 72 months (average 31). Severe sclerosis with impairment of limb function was diagnosed in 5 and peripheral nerve damage in 3 patients. Wound complications were detected in 8 patients.

CONCLUSIONS:

In our series, no statistically significant correlation between bone fracture and clinical features or "technical" parameters was found, but all of the patients who experienced bone fracture (7 of 7) were postmenopausal women >55 years old.

• Authors: Lorenzo Livi, Riccardo Santoni, Fabiola Paiar, Paolo Bastiani, Giovanni Beltrami, Patrizio Caldora, Rodolfo Capanna, Pietro De Biase, Beatrice Detti, Simona Fondelli, Elisa Meldolesi, Maurizio Pertici, Caterina Polli, Gabriele Simontacchi, Gianpaolo Biti
• Journal: American journal of surgery (Am J Surg) Vol. 191 Issue 2 Pg. 230-4 (Feb 2006) ISSN: 0002-9610 [Print] United States
• PMID: 16442951 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Brachytherapy
• Combined Modality Therapy
• Extremities
• Female
• Fibrosis (etiology)
• Follow-Up Studies
• Fractures, Bone (etiology)
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Peripheral Nervous System Diseases (etiology)
• Sarcoma (radiotherapy, surgery, therapy)
• Soft Tissue Neoplasms (radiotherapy, surgery, therapy)