Primary Extremity Soft Tissue Sarcomas: Does Local Control Impact Survival?

Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate the adequate margin in the local treatment of extremity soft tissue sarcomas (ESTS) and understand the relationship between local control and overall survival (OS). Methods: All consecutive patients treated for a primary ESTS at a single center from 1993 to 2012 were reviewed. Results: In all, 531 patients were included. Twelve (2 %) underwent a first-line amputation. The resections were R0/R1/not available in 434 (82 %), 92 (17 %), and 5 patients (1 %). The median tumor size was 8 cm, and the tumor grades were 1 (n = 132), 2 (n = 201), and 3 (n = 195). The median size of the minimal margin was 2 mm on fixed specimen. Preop or postop chemotherapy was administered to 222 patients, and 414 received radiotherapy. With a median follow-up period of 7 years, the 5-year actuarial local recurrence (LR) rate and OS were 8 % (95 % CI, 6–11 %) and 80 % (95 % CI, 76–83 %). Predictors of worse OS were grade 3, leiomyosarcoma, male gender, and age >60 years, whereas tumor size, margin status, and LR were not. Among patients requiring re-excision (n = 252), the presence of residual cells correlated with OS but not LR. After preoperative treatment, a percentage of residual cells ≥10 % correlated with OS but not LR. In the multivariate analysis, specific subtypes (epithelioid sarcoma and myxofibrosarcoma) and margin size <1 mm correlated with LR, whereas grade and the tissue constituting the surgical margins did not. Conclusions: Specific subtypes and surgical margin size <1 mm were correlated with a higher LR. Neither the margin status nor LR affect OS.