Lymph node metastasis in soft tissue sarcoma in an extremity

Primary Lymphovenous Anastomosis After Extended Soft Tissue Resection in the Medial Thigh for Reduction of Lymphocele and Lymphedema

INTRODUCTION

Postoperative chronic lymphocele and lymphedema represent severe burdens for soft tissue sarcoma patients who are already physically handicapped after an extensive surgery and a long recovery time. Incidences are high in the upper medial thigh. We have shifted our focus to lymphedema and lymphocele risk reduction with immediate lymphovenous anastomosis (LVA) after sarcoma resection.

METHODS

We performed immediate lymphatic reconstruction in 11 patients after soft tissue sarcoma resection in the upper medial thigh. The postoperative course was followed up closely, and postoperative occurrence of lymphocele and lymphedema was clinically assessed. A literature search outlining the latest clinical data, current treatment strategy landscape, and their application into clinical practice was added to the investigation.

RESULTS

A total of 19 LVA and 2 lympho-lymphatic anastomoses were performed in 11 patients immediately after tumor resection in an end-to-end manner. We found a postoperative lymphedema rate of 36% and a postoperative lymphocele rate of 27%. Mean follow-up time was 17 months. Average tumor volume was 749 cc. Our literature search yielded 27 articles reporting on immediate LVA in cancer patients. Incidences of secondary lymphedema after LVA for lymphedema prevention vary between 0% and 31.1%. Lymphocele prevention with LVA is poorly studied in sarcoma patients.

CONCLUSION

Immediate lymphatic reconstruction improved the overall postoperative course of our patients. The current literature does not serve with high-quality studies about primary LVA preventing lymphedema and lymphocele formation. We conclude that this technique should be seen as an additional concept to achieve overall better postoperative outcomes in these challenging surgical settings. We strongly recommend to either anastomose or ligate severed lymphatics under the microscope primarily after sarcoma resection in the upper medial thigh area.

Incidence and survival outcomes of patients with high-grade appendicular bone sarcoma and isolated regional lymph node metastasis: A national cohort database study

BACKGROUND

While distant metastases in primary bone sarcomas have been extensively studied, the impact of isolated regional lymph node (LN) metastasis on survival remains unknown. In patients with primary bone sarcomas, we sought to assess the prevalence of isolated regional LN metastasis and the survival of this population.

METHODS

A total of 6651 patients with histologically-confirmed high-grade osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, or chondrosarcoma were retrieved from the SEER database. We defined four subgroups for our analysis: localized disease (N0 M0), isolated regional LN metastasis (N1 M0), isolated distant metastasis (N0 M1), and combined regional LN and distant metastasis (N1 M1). Disease-specific survival (DSS) was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTS

Prevalence of isolated regional LN metastasis (N1 M0) was highest in Ewing sarcoma (27/1097; 3.3 %), followed by chondrosarcoma (18/1702; 1.4 %) and osteosarcoma (26/3740; 0.9 %). In all three histologies, patients with isolated regional LN metastasis had a worse 2-year, 5-year, and 10-year DSS than those with localized disease. Chondrosarcoma patients with isolated regional LN (N1 M0) metastasis had a significantly higher DSS in comparison to those with only distant metastasis (N0 M1) at the 5- and 10-year marks; for osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma, only a pattern towards higher survival was seen. Risk factors for presenting isolated regional LN metastasis included tumor location in lower-limb (OR = 2.01) or pelvis (OR = 2.49), diagnosis of Ewing sarcoma (OR = 2.98), and tumor >10 cm (OR = 1.96).

CONCLUSIONS

Isolated regional LN metastases in primary bone sarcomas is an infrequent presentation associated with worse survival than localized disease.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.

Review on Lymph Node Metastases, Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy, and Lymphadenectomy in Sarcoma

Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) originating from connective tissue rarely affect the lymph nodes. However, involvement of lymph nodes in STS is an important aspect of prognosis and treatment. Currently, there is no consensus on the diagnosis and management of lymph node metastases in STS. The key risk factor for nodal involvement is the histological subtype of sarcoma. Radiological and pathological evaluation seems to be the most effective method of assessing lymph nodes in these neoplasms. Thus, sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB), which has been shown to be valuable in the management of melanoma or breast cancer, may also be a beneficial diagnostic option in some high-risk STS subtypes. This review summarizes data on the risk factors and clinical characteristics of lymph node involvement in STS. Possible management and therapeutic options are also discussed.

Classic Type of Epithelioid Sarcoma of the Distal Upper Extremity: Clinical and Oncological Characteristics

BACKGROUND

The classic type of epithelioid sarcoma (ES) is a rare, aggressive soft tissue neoplasm that most commonly affects the distal upper extremities of young patients. This study aimed to assess clinical features and provide a long-term report of the oncological outcome.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed our clinical database for patients with ES of the distal upper extremities.

RESULTS

Twenty-three patients with ES of the distal upper extremity were treated surgically between January 1990 and August 2018. ES affected most commonly the palmar side of young patients. The most common site affected by a sarcoma was the wrist in 47.8% of cases, followed by metacarpals and fingers with 34.8% and 17.4%, respectively. Most of the patients were treated according to the protocols of interdisciplinary tumor boards with multimodal therapy. A local recurrence was observed in 7 patients (30.4%). The 5 - and 10-year recurrence-free survival was 80.4% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 68.6-76.8) and 60.9% (95% CI: 53.5-68.3), respectively. The 5- and 10-years disease-specific survival was 89.9% (95% CI: 87-92.8) and 61.9% (95% CI: 56.5-67.3), respectively. Five patients (21.7%) had metastasis in regional lymph nodes.

CONCLUSION

The classic type of ES represents a group of high-grade sarcomas, which affect the dominantly distal upper extremity. Specific clinical, diagnostic, and oncological characteristics make it difficult to diagnose and therapy. Wide tumor resection as a part of multimodal therapy remains a more viable and common treatment option for patients with ES on distal extremities. High rates of lymph node metastasis are typical for ES.

SEER-Based Survival Nomogram (1998-2015) Based on 'Stage, Lymph Node Dissection, Tumor Size and Degree of Differentiation, and Therapies' for Prognosis of Primary Pulmonary Sarcoma

Objective: Primary pulmonary sarcoma (PPS) is very rare in terms of incidence, henceforth, the clinical evidence pertinent to the prognosis of PPS is limited. The aim of this study was to construct a nomogram for evaluating the overall survival (OS) of patients diagnosed with PPS based on the stage, lymph node dissection, tumor size and degree of differentiation, and therapies. Methods: A total of 515 patients diagnosed with PPS during the period of 1998 to 2015 were obtained from the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results database and randomly segregated into 'training group' and 'validation group' with a ratio of 7:3. Regression analysis was executed for the training group to obtain the independent factors influencing prognosis of PPS patients. A nomogram was constructed as per the results obtained through multivariate Cox regression analysis subsequently validated using C index, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and calibration curves. Results: Age, tumor size, histology type, lymph node surgery, summary stage and differentiation grade were independent factors affecting the prognosis. C index was 0.775 and 0.737 for both training group, and validation group, respectively. Areas under the ROC curve of 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year OS were 87.6 (95% CI: 83.8-91.3), 90.1 (95% CI: 86.2-94.0) and 90.6 (95% CI: 85.8-95.4), respectively, in training group. Area under the curve values of 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year OS in the validation group were 83.1 (95% CI: 75.8-90.5), 82.9 (95% CI: 73.2-92.7) and 87.0 (95% CI: 75.9-98.1), respectively. Based on the nomogram, patients were segregated into low-risk group and high-risk group (degree of risk: cutoff score 193). OS of low-risk group was significantly higher when compared to high-risk group (P < .001) in the training group and validation group. Radiotherapy was a risk factor for the low-risk group and adjuvant chemotherapy has not exhibited influence on OS pertinent to low-risk group. However, adjuvant radiotherapy or chemotherapy both significantly improved the prognosis of PPS patients (P < .001) in the high-risk group. Conclusion: Constructed nomogram could have a strong predictive ability with higher accuracy for the prognosis of patients with PPS. Patients at low risk could not benefit from adjuvant radiotherapy or chemotherapy, while the prognosis clearly improved in the high-risk populations treated with either radiotherapy or chemotherapy.

Practice Pattern Variability in the Management of Regional Lymph Node Metastasis in Extremity and Trunk Soft Tissue Sarcoma: A Survey of the Society of Surgical Oncology and Musculoskeletal Tumor Society Membership

BACKGROUND

Regional lymph node metastasis in extremity and trunk soft tissue sarcoma (ETSTS) is rare with no standardized management. We sought to determine management patterns for regional lymph node metastasis in ETSTS.

METHODS

A survey regarding the management of ETSTS lymph node metastasis was distributed to the membership of the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) and the Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO) in January 2022. The survey queried the type of training (surgical oncology, orthopedic oncology), details of their practice setting, and management decisions of hypothetical ETSTS scenarios that involved potential or confirmed lymph node metastasis.

RESULTS

The survey was distributed to 349 MSTS members (open rate of 63%, completion rate 21%) and 3026 SSO members (open rate of 55%, completion rate 4.7%) and was completed by 214 respondents, of whom 73 (34.1%) and 141 (65.9%) were orthopedic oncology and surgical oncology fellowship-trained, respectively. The majority of respondents practiced in an academic setting (n = 171, 79.9%) and treat >10 extremity sarcoma cases annually (n = 138, 62.2%). In scenarios with confirmed nodal disease for clear cell and epithelioid sarcoma, surgical oncologists were inclined to perform lymphadenectomy, while orthopedic oncologists were inclined to offer targeted lymph node excision with adjuvant radiation (p < 0.001). There was heterogeneity of responses regarding the management of nodal disease regardless of training background.

CONCLUSION

Self-reported management of nodal disease in ETSTS was variable among respondent groups with differences and similarities based on training background. These data highlight the variability of practice for nodal disease management and the need for consensus-based guidelines.

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy for Extremity and Truncal Soft Tissue Sarcomas: A Systematic Review of the Literature

BACKGROUND

Regional lymph node metastasis (RLNM) occurs infrequently in patients with soft tissue sarcoma (STS), although certain STS subtypes have a higher propensity for RLNM. The identification of RLNM has significant implications for staging and prognosis; however, the precise impact of node-positive disease on patient survival remains a topic of controversy. Although the benefits of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) are well documented in patients with melanoma and breast cancer, whether this procedure offers a benefit in STS is controversial.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was performed and articles reviewed to determine if SLNB in patients with extremity/truncal STS impacts disease-free or overall survival.

RESULTS

Six studies were included. Rates of sentinel lymph node positivity were heterogeneous (range 4.3-50%). The impact of SLNB on patient outcomes remains unclear. The overall quality of available evidence was low, as assessed by the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system.

CONCLUSIONS

The literature addressing the impact of nodal basin evaluation on the staging and management of patients with extremity/truncal STS is confounded by heterogeneous patient cohorts and clinical practices. Multicenter prospective studies are warranted to determine the true incidence of RLNM and whether SLNB could benefit patients with clinically occult RLNM at diagnosis.

Early distinction of lymph node metastasis in patients with soft tissue sarcoma and individualized survival prediction using the online available nomograms: A population-based analysis

Background

The presence of metastatic tumor cells in regional lymph nodes is considered as a significant indicator for inferior prognosis. This study aimed to construct some predictive models to quantify the probability of lymph node metastasis (LNM) and survival rate of patients with soft tissue sarcoma (STS) with LNM.

Methods

Research data were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database between 2004 and 2017, and data of patients with STS from our medical institution were collected to form an external testing set. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to determine the independent risk factors for developing LNM. On the basis of the identified variables, we developed a diagnostic nomogram to predict the risk of LNM in patients with STS. Those patients with STS presenting with LNM were retrieved to build a cohort for identifying the independent prognostic factors through univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis. Then, two nomograms incorporating the independent prognostic predictors were developed to predict the overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) for patients with STS with LNM. Kaplan-Meier (K-M) survival analysis was conducted to study the survival difference. Moreover, validations of these nomograms were performed by the receiver operating characteristic curves, the area under the curve, calibration curves, and the decision curve analysis (DCA).

Results

A total of 16,601 patients with STS from the SEER database were enrolled in our study, of which 659 (3.97%) had LNM at the initial diagnosis. K-M survival analysis indicated that patients with LNM had poorer survival rate. Sex, histology, primary site, grade, M stage, and T stage were found to be independently related with development of LNM in patients with STS. Age, grade, histology, M stage, T stage, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery were identified as the independent prognostic factors for OS of patients with STS with LNM, and age, grade, M stage, T stage, radiotherapy, and surgery were determined as the independent prognostic factors for CSS. Subsequently, we constructed three nomograms, and their online versions are as follows: https://tyxupup.shinyapps.io/probabilityofLNMforSTSpatients/, https://tyxupup.shinyapps.io/OSofSTSpatientswithLNM/, and https://tyxupup.shinyapps.io/CSSofSTSpatientswithLNM/. The areas under the curve (AUCs) of diagnostic nomogram were 0.839 in the training set, 0.811 in the testing set, and 0.852 in the external testing set. For prognostic nomograms, the AUCs of 24-, 36-, and 48-month OS were 0.820, 0.794, and 0.792 in the training set and 0.759, 0.728, and 0.775 in the testing set, respectively; the AUCs of 24-, 36-, and 48-month CSS were 0.793, 0.777, and 0.775 in the training set and 0.775, 0.744, and 0.738 in the testing set, respectively. Furthermore, calibration curves suggested that the predicted values were consistent with the actual values. For the DCA, our nomograms showed a superior net benefit across a wider scale of threshold probabilities for the prediction of risk and survival rate for patients with STS with LNM.

Conclusion

These newly proposed nomograms promise to be useful tools in predicting the risk of LNM for patients with STS and individualized survival prediction for patients with STS with LNM, which may help to guide clinical practice.

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy and Formal Lymphadenectomy for Soft Tissue Sarcoma: A Single Center Experience of 86 Consecutive Cases

BACKGROUND

Lymph node metastases (LNMs) are rare in patients with soft tissue sarcoma (STS), and there is limited evidence to guide clinical management. We describe our experience with sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and lymphadenectomy in STS patients.

METHODS

A single-center, retrospective review was performed for patients with STS treated with SLNB and/or lymphadenectomy from 1994 to 2018. Clinicopathologic characteristics, multimodality treatment, regional/distant recurrence-free survival (RFS), and overall survival (OS) were examined.

RESULTS

Eighty-six patients underwent SLNB (n = 34) and/or lymphadenectomy (n = 60) for STS. The most frequent histologic subtypes were epithelioid, clear cell, and undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma. Eight of 34 (23.5%) patients had a positive SLNB with 5-year OS of 71.4% compared with 71.9% for those with a negative SLNB. Eight of the 26 SLN-negative patients (30.8%) eventually developed nodal recurrence (n = 2) and/or (n = 6) distant metastasis with an estimated 5-year OS of 50%. Of patients undergoing lymphadenectomy, estimated 5-year OS was 44.6% and median RFS was 12 months. Eight (13.3%) had distant disease at time of lymphadenectomy, 20 (33.3%) developed distant recurrence after lymphadenectomy, and 6 (10%) developed regional-only recurrence. Patients with regional-only recurrence after lymphadenectomy had an estimated 5-year OS of 66.7% compared with 29.1% for those who recurred distantly.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with positive SLNB had similar survival to those with negative SLNB. Lymphadenectomy for isolated nodal disease is associated with poor RFS but reasonable 5-year OS when recurrence is regional-only. In STS, regional disease appears clinically distinct from distant metastatic disease and has better outcomes.

Pan-Soft Tissue Sarcoma Analysis of the Incidence, Survival, and Metastasis: A Population-Based Study Focusing on Distant Metastasis and Lymph Node Metastasis

Background

The rarity and complexity of soft tissue sarcoma (STS) make it a challenge to determine the incidence, survival, and metastasis rates. In addition, the clinicopathological risk factors for lymph node metastasis have rarely been reported.

Methods

Data on patients diagnosed with STS in the SEER database from 2000 to 2018 were extracted by SEER*Stat 8.3.9.1, and the incidence trend was calculated by Joinpoint 4.9 software. The KM method was used to calculate the survival curve, and the log-rank method was used to compare differences in the survival curves. The clinicopathological risk factors for lymph node metastasis were screened by logistic regression.

Results

Among the 35987 patients, 4299 patients (11.9%) had distant metastasis. The overall lymph node metastasis rate was 6.02%, which included patients suffering from both lymph node and distant metastasis. Considering that some lymph node metastases might be accompanying events of distant metastasis, the rate of only lymph node metastasis in STS patients decreased to 3.42% after excluding patients with distant metastasis. Patients with only lymph node metastases (N1/2M0) had a significantly worse prognosis than those without metastases (N0M0) but a better prognosis than those with only distant metastases (N0M1) (p<0.0001). In the multivariate logistic analysis, STS patients with larger tumors located in the head and neck, viscera, retroperitoneum, and certain specific pathological subtypes (compared with the liposarcoma), such as undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, endometrial stromal sarcoma, gastrointestinal stromal tumor, synovial sarcoma, and angiosarcoma, had a higher risk of lymph node metastasis.

Conclusions

Lymph node metastasis is rare in STS, and the metastasis rate is significantly different among the different pathological types. Tumor size, location, and pathological subtype are significantly associated with the risk of lymph node metastasis. The overall survival of patients with lymph node metastasis is better than that of patients with distant metastasis, which suggests a more precise prognosis evaluation should be performed in these AJCC stage IV STS patients.

Risk factors for lymph node metastasis of soft tissue sarcomas of the head, neck, and extremities, and the clinical significance of negative lymph node dissection

Background

This study sought to define the risk factors for lymph node metastasis (LNM) of soft tissue sarcomas (STS) of the head, neck, and extremities, and the clinical significance of negative lymph node dissection (NLND).

Methods

STS patient data in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database from 1988 to 2015 were extracted and pooled. Logistics regression analysis was used to identify risk factors for LNM, Cox proportional hazards and Fine–Grey’s models were used for survival analysis, and Propensity score matching analysis (PSM) was used to assess the impact of NLND on patient prognosis.

Results

A total of 3276 patients were enrolled in the study, of whom 283 (8.6%) developed LNM. Rhabdomyosarcoma had the highest rate of LNM (25.3%), followed by clear cell sarcoma (16.8%) and epithelioid sarcoma (12.4%), while leiomyosarcoma had the lowest rate of LNM (1.3%). Sex, tumor size, grade, histology, and site were significantly associated with LNM. For specific histologic subtypes of STS, NLND significantly improves overall survival (HR: 0.718, 95%CI 0.535–0.962; P = 0.026) and cancer-specific survival (HR: 0.699, 95%CI 0.506–0.967; P = 0.031) and reduces cancer-specific mortality (Gray’s test, P = 0.017). However, NLND did not improve overall survival (P = 0.46) or reduce cancer-specific mortality (Gray’s test, P = 0.772) of patients with leiomyosarcoma.

Conclusions

Histology is an independent risk factor for LNM in STS of the head, neck, and extremities. Prophylactic NLND treatment was necessary and had a clinical benefit for patients with STS who were at high risk for LNM but had no significant impact on the prognosis of patients with leiomyosarcoma.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13018-022-03050-3.

Expert consensus on resection of chest wall tumors and chest wall reconstruction

Chest wall tumors are a relatively uncommon disease in clinical practice. Most of the published studies about chest wall tumors are usually single-center retrospective studies, involving few patients. Therefore, evidences regarding clinical conclusions about chest wall tumors are lacking, and some controversial issues have still to be agreed upon. In January 2019, 73 experts in thoracic surgery, plastic surgery, science, and engineering jointly released the Chinese Expert Consensus on Chest Wall Tumor Resection and Chest Wall Reconstruction (2018 edition). After that, numerous experts put forward new perspectives on some academic issues in this version of the consensus, pointing out the necessity to further discuss the points of contention. Thus, we conducted a survey through the administration of a questionnaire among 85 experts in the world. Consensus has been reached on some major points as follows. (I) Wide excision should be performed for desmoid tumor (DT) of chest wall. After excluding the distant metastasis by multi-disciplinary team, solitary sternal plasmacytoma can be treated with extensive resection and adjuvant radiotherapy. (II) Wide excision with above 2 cm margin distance should be attempted to obtain R0 resection margin for chest wall tumor unless the tumor involves vital organs or structures, including the great vessels, heart, trachea, joints, and spine. (III) For patients with chest wall tumors undergoing unplanned excision (UE) for the first time, it is necessary to carry out wide excision as soon as possible within 1–3 months following the previous surgery. (IV) Current Tumor Node Metastasis staging criteria (American Joint Committee on Cancer) of bone tumor and soft tissue sarcoma are not suitable for chest wall sarcomas. (V) It is necessary to use rigid implants for chest wall reconstruction once the maximum diameter of the chest wall defect exceeds 5 cm in adults and adolescents. (VI) For non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) invading the chest wall, wide excision with neoadjuvant and/or adjuvant therapy are recommended for patients with stage T_3-4N_0-1M₀. As clear guidelines are lacking, these consensus statements on controversial issues on chest wall tumors and resection could possibly serve as further guidance in clinical practice during the upcoming years.

The Role of Radiotherapy in Soft Tissue Sarcoma on Extremities With Lymph Nodes Metastasis: An IPTW Propensity Score Analysis of the SEER Database

Background

Soft tissue sarcomas on extremities with regional lymph nodes metastasis (STSE-RLNM) is a devastating situation. Optimizing therapeutic approaches is vital but hampered by a shortage of randomized trials. We used a population-level database to evaluate radiotherapy’s impact on sarcoma-specific survival (SSS) and overall survival (OS) for surgery for STSE-RLNM.

Methods

We retrospectively screened data from the SEER database (2004–2015), and 265 patients with STSE-RLNM who received surgery, with (134) or without (131) radiotherapy, were enrolled in this study. A propensity-score-matched analysis with the inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) Kaplan–Meier curve was created. The log-rank test and Cox regression analysis were performed to compare SSS and OS in patients with and without radiotherapy. Further analysis of radiotherapy time was conducted, and the Kaplan–Meier curve and the log-rank test were done. Landmark analysis was introduced to attenuate the immortal bias.

Results

In the original unadjusted cohort, the radiotherapy + surgery group is associated with improved SSS [hazard ratio (HR), 0.66; 95% CI, 0.47–0.91; p = 0.011] and OS (HR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.47–0.88; p = 0.006). This significant treatment effect was also noted in IPTW-adjusted Cox regression either on SSS (HR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.45–0.93; p = 0.020) or on OS (HR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.46–0.91; p = 0.013). The Kaplan–Meier curve and log-rank test showed that pre- and postoperative radiotherapy was not related to SSS (p = 0.980 or OS (p = 0.890).

Conclusion

Radiotherapy and surgery has a significant benefit on the prognosis of patients with STSE-RLNM compared to surgery alone. These findings should be considered when making treatment decisions for them.

Updating on Bone and Soft Tissue Sarcomas Staging

Bone and soft tissue sarcomas consist of a heterogeneous group of malignant tumors of mesenchymal origin that can affect patients from any age. The precise staging of these lesions determines the best therapeutic strategies and prognosis estimates. Two staging systems are the most frequently used: the system proposed by the University of Florida group, led by Dr. William F. Enneking (1980) and adopted by the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS), and the system developed by the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) (1977), currently in its 8 th edition (2017). This paper updates the reader on the staging of bone and soft tissue sarcomas affecting the musculoskeletal system.

Utility of 18F-FDG-PET/CT in management and prognostication of treatment naïve late-stage soft tissue sarcomas

OBJECTIVE

This study evaluated the utility of 18F-fluorodexoyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in staging, grading, and prognostication of Stage III and IV soft tissue sarcomas (STSs).

METHODS

Forty patients (Median age = 32.5 years; 25 men) with histologically proven STSs, prospectively underwent 18F-FDG-PET/CTs at baseline. Three-dimensional region of interests were drawn encompassing the lesions to calculate standardized uptake values (SUVs) and metabolic tumor volumes (MTVs). After segmentation, Haralick statistical texture analysis was performed. Follow-up was available for 35 patients. Survival at 6 months was 71.4% and at 1 year was 57.1%.

RESULTS

American Joint Committee on Cancer Stage III was seen in 23 and Stage IV in 17 patients. None of the baseline quantitative and semi-quantitative parameters could predict response or progression. Only reduction in SUVmax in interim PET/CT correlated with baseline SUVmax (Spearman's Rho = 0.533; P = 0.019). Textural parameters namely 'contrast' in CT (P = 0.039) and 'difference entropy' in PET/CT (P = 0.051) could differentiate intermediate from high-grade lesions, with corresponding area under curves being 0.736 (0.533-0.889) and 0.700 (0.518-0.882). M1 disease [Hazard ratio (HR): 3.184 (1.179-8.595); P = 0.022], absence of surgical treatment [HR 0.305 (0.106-0.873), P = 0.027 with surgery], lower MTV/total tumor volume (TTV) [HR: 0.975 (0.953-0.997; P = 0.028] and progressive disease in interim PET/CT [3.483 (0.898-13.515); P = 0.056] were predictors of lower survival in univariate analysis. Only M1 disease was found to be reaching significance in multivariate analysis [HR = 2.683 (0.949-7.580); P = 0.063]. Baseline PET/CT changed management in 12.5% of patients [compared to local-imaging and high-resolution CT chest]; with detection of extra-pulmonary metastases. Though, interim and end of treatment PET/CTs detected more metastatic lesions, management was not impacted.

CONCLUSION

18F-FDG-PET/CT allows for more accurate M-staging in late-stage STSs, which in turn influences the option of curative surgical resection and thus impacts patient prognosis. Lower baseline MTV/TTV and progression in interim PET/CT are also associated with lower survival. Textural analysis may have a role in noninvasive grading.

Prognosis prediction of extremity and trunk wall soft-tissue sarcomas treated with surgical resection with radiomic analysis based on random survival forest

Many researches have applied machine learning methods to find associations between radiomic features and clinical outcomes. Random survival forests (RSF), as an accurate classifier, sort all candidate variables as the rank of importance values. There was no study concerning on finding radiomic predictors in patients with extremity and trunk wall soft-tissue sarcomas using RSF. This study aimed to determine associations between radiomic features and overall survival (OS) by RSF analysis. To identify radiomic features with important values by RSF analysis, construct predictive models for OS incorporating clinical characteristics, and evaluate models' performance with different method. We collected clinical characteristics and radiomic features extracted from plain and contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) from 353 patients with extremity and trunk wall soft-tissue sarcomas treated with surgical resection. All radiomic features were analyzed by Cox proportional hazard (CPH) and followed RSF analysis. The association between radiomics-predicted risks and OS was assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis. All clinical features were screened by CPH analysis. Prognostic clinical and radiomic parameters were fitted into RSF and CPH integrative models for OS in the training cohort, respectively. The concordance indexes (C-index) and Brier scores of both two models were evaluated in both training and testing cohorts. The model with better predictive performance was interpreted with nomogram and calibration plots. Among all 86 radiomic features, there were three variables selected with high importance values. The RSF on these three features distinguished patients with high predicted risks from patients with low predicted risks for OS in the training set (P < 0.001) using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Age, lymph node involvement and grade were incorporated into the combined models for OS (P < 0.05). The C-indexes in both two integrative models fluctuated above 0.80 whose Brier scores maintained less than 15.0 in the training and testing datasets. The RSF model performed little advantages over the CPH model that the calibration curve of the RSF model showed favorable agreement between predicted and actual survival probabilities for the 3-year and 5-year survival prediction. The multimodality RSF model including clinical and radiomic characteristics conducted high capacity in prediction of OS which might assist individualized therapeutic regimens. Level III, prognostic study.

[Malignant Triton tumour: A case report]

Malignant Triton tumour (MTT) is a subtype of malignant peripheral nerve sheaths tumour (MPNST) with exclusive heterologous rhabdomyosarcomatous contingent. MTT is rare and of poor prognosis. This entity illustrates the great heterogeneity of MPNST, the diagnosis of which is difficult in the absence of a specific marker, especially in sporadic forms. Although MTT preferentially develop in patients with type 1 neurofibromatosis, sporadic cases may occur. We herein present a case of MTT of the left arm, occurring in a 74-year-old patient, without clinical context of NF1. The fast-growing tumour reached 9.2cm of greater dimension at the time of surgical excision. Histology showed a spindle cell sarcoma with rhabdoid cell areas expressing myogenin. In the absence of neural crest markers expression, the diagnosis of MPNST was based on a significant loss of expression of the histone 3 tri-methylated lysine 27, a classical although not specific epigenetic mark for this sarcoma group, and on the identification of the heterologous rhabdomyosarcomatous contingent, previously described in the context of MTT.

Soft-tissue Sarcoma of the Hand: Patient Characteristics, Treatment, and Oncologic Outcomes

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study was to describe patient characteristics, treatment, and oncologic outcomes of soft-tissue sarcomas (STSs) of the hand.

METHODS

Sixty-nine STSs of the hand in adult patients treated at a tertiary referral center were retrospectively included. We describe patient and tumor characteristics along with oncologic outcomes.

RESULTS

Epithelioid sarcoma (23%) was the most common histologic subtype, followed by synovial sarcoma (15%). Of all tumors, 17 (25%) were grade I, 22 (32%) were grade II, and 30 (44%) were grade III. The 5-year disease-free survival for epithelioid sarcomas was 75% with a disease survival of 100%, along with a metastatic rate of 15%. Of the patients with a synovial sarcoma, 40% developed metastases, and the 5-year disease-free survival was 68% and the 5-year disease survival was 73%.

CONCLUSION

Hand STSs are aggressive tumors with a high metastatic potential. Even with adequate oncologic treatment, long-term clinical follow-up (10 years) in these tumors is advised. The treating surgical oncologist should not be deceived by their smaller size.

Testicular, Spermatic Cord, and Scrotal Soft Tissue Sarcomas: Treatment Outcomes and Patterns of Failure

Introduction

Paratesticular sarcomas are defined as tumors that arise within the scrotum and include the subsites of epididymis, spermatic cord, and tunica vaginalis and represent the most common type of GU sarcoma. The mainstay of treatment is often surgical resection, combined with histology specific chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Due to the rare nature of the disease, there are limited data to guide management. We present our single-institution retrospective experience regarding the management and treatment of paratesticular sarcomas.

Materials and Methods

We queried our oncology registry database for patients treated for testicular, spermatic cord, and scrotal soft tissue sarcomas between 1971 and 2017. Patients in this series had pathological confirmation of a sarcoma diagnosis by a sarcoma-specialized pathologist. Only patients with localized disease were included in this analysis with the exception of patients with a diagnosis of rhabdomyosarcoma where patients with both localized and metastatic disease were included on this study.

Results

A total of 34 patients were included in this retrospective analysis. The median was 24 (range, 5–78), and the median tumor size was 6.25 cm. Twenty-six patients had localized disease (76.6%) at the time of diagnosis. A predominance of patients had tumors involving the spermatic cord (45.5%), and the most common histology was rhabdomyosarcoma (35.3%), leiomyosarcoma (26.5%), and well-differentiated liposarcoma (23.5%). The median follow-up was 71.0 months (range, 2.5–534.4 months). A total of 7 patients experienced an isolated local failure (20.6%), four patients developed distant metastatic disease (11.8%), and one patient (2.9%) with synovial sarcoma of the spermatic cord experienced a regional recurrence. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 99.6 months, 95% CI (45.8–534.3 months), with a three-year PFS rate of 71%, 95% CI (53%–83%), and a 5-year PFS rate of 64% (range, 46%–78%). We did not find any statistically significant associations based on surgery type (p=0.15), the use of chemotherapy, (p=0.36), or final margin status (p=0.21). Two patients who were treated with preoperative radiotherapy had significant wound healing complication with chronic sinus tracts, though these patients did not experience a local recurrence.

Conclusions

We provide a characterization of the natural history and treatment patterns of paratesticular sarcomas. While effective at reducing a local recurrence, preoperative radiotherapy was associated with significant toxicity. As a result, we prefer the use of postoperative radiotherapy in patients as clinically indicated. We did not find any specific treatment patterns associated with an improvement in clinical outcomes.

A Population-based Analysis of Lymph Node Metastasis in Extremity Soft Tissue Sarcoma: An Update

BACKGROUND

Soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) are mesenchymal tumors that may rarely metastasize to lymph nodes. This investigation sought to evaluate regional lymph node metastasis (RLNM) in extremity STS using a national cohort.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study was a retrospective review of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database from 1975 to 2016. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify prognostic factors associated with disease-specific survival (DSS).

RESULTS

RLNM was present in 3.7% (n = 547) of extremity STS. The rate of RLNM was highest in rhabdomyosarcoma (26.7%), clear cell sarcoma (18.8%), epithelioid sarcoma (14.5%), angiosarcoma (8.1%), spindle cell sarcoma (5.0%), and synovial sarcoma (3.2%). The 5-year DSS probability without RLNM was 69% (standard error: 1.3%) compared to 26% (standard error: 3.6%) with RLNM (P < 0.001). For the historically high-risk extremity STS, advanced age (hazard ratio (HR), 1.036; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.0-1.04; P < 0.001), higher grade tumors (HR, 1.979; 95% CI, 1.3-3.0; P < 0.001), tumor size greater than 10 cm (HR, 1.892; 95% CI, 1.3-2.7; P < 0.001), primary site surgery (HR, 0.529; 95% CI, 0.3-0.8; P = 0.006), distant metastasis (HR, 4.585; 95% CI, 3.0-6.8; P < 0.001), and RLNM (HR, 2.153; 95% CI, 1.3-3.5; P = 0.003) were each independent disease-specific prognostic factors.

CONCLUSIONS

The prognosis of RLNM in historically high-risk extremity STS is poor with a 5-year DSS of 26%. These data support a staging system of STS inclusive of nodal involvement and contribute to the growing body of evidence that characterizes the rates of RLNM in STS.

Lymphadenopathy in Fungating Extremity Soft-Tissue Sarcoma: Metastasis or Reactive?

BACKGROUND

Patients with fungating extremity soft-tissue sarcoma (STS) can develop lymphadenopathy, which can represent nodal metastasis or benign reactive adenopathy.

METHODS

In 1787 patients with STS, 67 (3.7%) had fungating extremity STS. In the 62 patients who met our inclusion criteria, we evaluated prevalence and histopathology of lymphadenopathy, factors associated with lymphadenopathy and nodal metastasis, and prevalence of and factors associated with lung metastasis and survival time from fungation. Logistic regression and Cox proportional-hazards models were used to analyze node pathology, lung metastasis, and survival duration with α = 0.05.

RESULTS

Lymphadenopathy occurred in 11 of 62 patients (18%), 6 with nodal metastasis and 5 with reactive adenopathy. The only factor associated with lymphadenopathy was location of primary tumor in the upper extremity (p = 0.02). No tumor characteristics were associated with nodal metastasis. In all five patients with reactive adenopathy, the condition was recognized within 3 days after tumor fungation. Lymphadenopathy recognized more than 3 days after tumor fungation was likely to be nodal metastasis. Forty-one percent of patients developed lung metastasis, which was not associated with presence of lymphadenopathy or any patient or tumor characteristic. Age, tumor size, and Black and Asian race were independently associated with greater risk of death.

CONCLUSIONS

Eighteen percent of patients with fungating extremity STS developed lymphadenopathy. Approximately half of cases represented nodal metastasis, and half represented reactive adenopathy. Lymphadenopathy that develops within 3 days after tumor fungation should increase suspicion for reactive adenopathy versus nodal metastasis.

Primary Angiosarcoma of the Gastrointestinal Tract: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Primary Gastrointestinal Angiosarcoma (PGAS) constitutes a rare malignant tumor arising from vascular or lymphatic endothelial cells. The aim of this study was to review the available literature on PGAS and to elucidate its biological behavior and optimal therapeutic approach. PubMed and Embase bibliographical databases were systematically searched (last search April 8^th, 2020) for studies concerning PGAS. Ninety-eight studies met our inclusion criteria, involving 110 patients (male/female = 1.5) with an age of 62.40 ± 17.84 (mean, SD) years. They were most frequently located at small (44.5%) and large intestine (35.5%), while 12.7% were multifocal. Surgical resection of the tumor was conducted at 84.0% of the cases combined with adjuvant therapy at 12.3%. One-year cumulative survival was 55.18% (95% CI: 34.33%-71.84%) for large intestine, 30.2% (95% CI: 17.1%-44.5%) for small intestine, whereas multifocal PGAS had a 6-months cumulative survival of 23.08% (95% CI: 5.58%-47.46%). Therefore, PGAS is an extremely rare entity with atypical clinical presentation, challenging diagnosis and aggressive behavior. High clinical suspicion is crucial for its prompt management. Further studies and the development of novel therapeutic agents are required in order to improve survival.

Should metastatic lymph nodes be considered at the same clinical stage as distant metastasis in soft tissue sarcomas?

INTRODUCTION

Lymph node metastasis (LNM) in soft tissue sarcomas (STS) are uncommon, occurring in only 3% - 5% of all sarcomas, and are classified as Stage IV, along with distant metastasis (DM). This paper compares the prognosis of patients with lymphatic and DM, in extremity STS (eSTS).

METHODS

A retrospective study was carried out in a high-volume sarcoma center; 853 patients with eSTS sarcomas were identified and classified from January 1, 1997 to December 31, 2017. Cases with pathological confirmation of LNM were included. Five-year survival rates were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and the Cox proportional hazards model.

RESULTS

LNM was present in 46 of the cases (5.4%), with an overall survival of 21 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 16.7 - 25.2), compared to 18 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 14.2 - 21.7) in those with only DM. Median recurrence-free survival was 21 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 19.7 - 22.4), vs. 20 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 16.2- 23.7), respectively. LNM only and DM only had also a similar OS of 21 months (95% CI 16.7-25.2) vs 18 months (95% CI 14.2-21.7. N1M1 cases had the worse median OS with 15 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 10.9-19.7) CONCLUSIONS: Overall survival and recurrence free survival in patients with lymph node disease and metastatic disease are similar. However prognosis is worse in N1M1. Use of systemic treatment in patients with LNM is not as common as in metastatic cases, this difference in treatment and the fact that prognosis is similar suggests that both biological behavior and effect of treatment have been underestimated. A subclassification of clinical stage IV might be the next step.

Lymph node metastasis in extremity chondrosarcomas: A series of four cases

Background:

Primary bone sarcomas mainly metastasize through haematogenous route and rarely through lymph nodes due to paucity of lymphatic channels in the bone (1). Nodal spread in chondrosarcoma is extremely rare and there are two reported cases in literature including one previously published by our institute (3, 5).

Aims and Objectives:

We present a series of chondrosarcoma cases (primary tumour located in the scapula, proximal femur, proximal humerus and pelvis), presenting with lymph node metastasis, treated at our institute. We assessed the oncological outcome of these cases and the impact of nodal metastasis on survival.

Materials and Methods:

Between January 2006 and December 2015, 243 patients of extremity and pelvic chondrosarcoma were operated at our institute. These cases were retrieved from a prospectively maintained database. Four (1.6%) of these patients developed lymph node metastasis. Clinical and radiological details of these cases were retrieved from electronic medical records and case files. Histopathology of the primary chondrosarcoma lesion and nodal metastasis was reconfirmed by a pathologist specializing in sarcomas.

Conclusion:

Lymph node metastasis though extremely rare in primary osseous chondrosarcoma, definitely affects their survival adversely. The rarity of the occurrence of lymph node metastasis in primary osseous tumors, especially chondrosarcoma highlights the need for multi institutional studies to pool knowledge and evaluate the prognostic significance and etiopathogenesis of lymph node metastasis in primary bone chondrosarcoma.

Curability of patients with lymph node metastases from extremity soft-tissue sarcoma

BACKGROUND

Lymph node metastases (LNM) rarely occur in adult extremity soft-tissue sarcoma (STS), affecting approximately 5% of patients. To the authors' knowledge, few studies to date have evaluated the prognosis and survival of patients with LNM.

METHODS

A retrospective review was performed of a single-center, prospectively collected STS database. Demographic, treatment, and oncologic data for patients with STS of the extremity with LNM were obtained from clinical and radiographic records.

RESULTS

Of 2689 patients with extremity STS, a total of 120 patients (4.5%) were diagnosed with LNM. LNM occurred most frequently among patients diagnosed with clear cell sarcoma (27.6%), epithelioid sarcoma (21.9%), rhabdomyosarcoma (17.3%), angiosarcoma (14.0%), and extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma (9.3%). A total of 98 patients (81.7%) underwent LNM surgical resection. Patients with isolated LNM had a greater 5-year overall survival (57.3%) compared with patients with American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) eighth edition stage IV STS with only systemic metastases (14.6%) or both LNM and systemic disease (0%; P < .0001). Patients with isolated LNM had an overall survival rate (52.9%) similar to that of patients with localized AJCC stage III tumors (ie, large, high-grade tumors) (49.3%) (P = .8). Patients with late, isolated, metachronous LNM had a 5-year overall survival rate (61.2%) that was similar to that of patients with isolated synchronous LNM at the time of presentation (53.6%) (P = .4).

CONCLUSIONS

Many different types of STS develop LNM. Patients with extremity STS with isolated LNM should not be considered as having stage IV disease as they are according to the current AJCC eighth edition classification because they have significantly better survival than those with systemic metastases. Patients with isolated, late, metachronous LNM have a survival similar to that of patients with isolated synchronous LNM at the time of presentation.

LAY SUMMARY

The results of the current study demonstrated that patients diagnosed with isolated lymph node metastases have a prognosis similar to that of patients diagnosed with localized American Joint Committee on Cancer stage III soft-tissue sarcomas, which also equates to a significantly better overall survival compared with patients with systemic metastases. Therefore, the authors recommend modifications to the most recent eighth edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system to clearly distinguish patients with isolated lymph node metastases to acknowledge their better prognosis compared with those with systemic metastases.

Prognosis of Patients with Metastatic Soft Tissue Sarcoma: Advances in Recent Years

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to investigate the prognosis of patients with metastatic soft tissue sarcomas (STS) and to define prognostic indicators for overall survival (OS).

METHODS

All patients who were treated at the Sarcoma Unit at the Mannheim University Medical Center between 2010 and 2016 and who developed metastatic disease deriving from a STS were included in this retrospective analysis. OS was investigated using data from clinical records and German registry offices. Clinical and pathological characteristics were recorded and analyzed.

RESULTS

A total number of 212 patients developed metastatic disease from STS during that period. Median OS after first documentation of metastatic disease was 24 months (95% CI 21-33). 1-, 2-, and 5-year OS rates were 70.0% (95% CI 64-77), 49.9% (95% CI 43-58), and 24.8% (95% CI 19-33), respectively. In multivariate analysis, significant predictors for mortality appeared to be gender, age, location and size of the primary tumor, histology, and disease-free interval.

CONCLUSION

Being treated in a high-volume STS reference center in Germany, patients with metastatic disease could demonstrate an increased OS compared to former analyses. These data can be used as a benchmark for upcoming studies and highlight that further research on treatment strategies in this rare disease is urgently needed.

Extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma: A high incidence of metastatic disease to lymph nodes

BACKGROUND

Extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma (ESMC) is a rare type of soft-tissue sarcoma with limited series reporting outcome of treatment. Currently there is limited data on the incidence and impact on patient outcome in those with metastatic disease to lymph nodes in ESMC.

METHODS

Thirty (21 males, 9 females) patients, mean age 50 ± 16 years, with ESMC were reviewed. The tumors were most commonly located in the lower extremity (n = 23, 77%) and the mean tumor size and volume were 9 ± 5 cm and 490 ± 833 cm³ . Mean follow up was 7 ± 4 years.

RESULTS

Six (20%) patients either presented (n = 3, 10%) or developed (n = 3, 10%) lymph node metastatic disease. When comparing patients without, with lymph node metastasis and metastasis elsewhere, patients with lymph nodes metastasis had worse survival than those without metastasis, however better 10-year disease specific survival than those with metastasis elsewhere (100% vs 62% vs 0%; P < .001).

CONCLUSION

There is a high incidence of lymph node metastatic disease in patients with ESMC. Although survival in these patients is worse compared to those without metastasis, their survival is better than those with metastasis elsewhere. Due to the high incidence of lymph node metastatic disease, preoperative staging of the lymph node should be considered.

Multimodality treatment including surgery for primary pulmonary sarcoma: Size does matter

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Primary pulmonary sarcoma (PPS) accounts for less than 1.1% of all pulmonary tumors. Few outcome data are reported. We evaluated outcome and prognostic factors in our series.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent resection for PPS in our center from 2002 to 2018. Survival was calculated from the date of surgery until last follow-up. Impact on survival of gender, type of lung resection, completeness of resection, grade, size, and TNM staging for lung cancer and soft tissue sarcoma (STS) was assessed.

RESULTS

Thirteen patients were included. Eight (61.5%) patients received neoadjuvant treatment. Median tumor size at diagnosis was 11.5 cm (1-30 cm). Type of lung resection was wedge (n = 2, 15%), lobectomy (n = 4, 31%), intrapericardial (n = 3, 23%), and extrapleural pneumonectomies (n = 4, 31%). In-hospital mortality was 8%. Overall 5-year survival was 60%. Median disease-free survival was 17 months. Tumor size was a predictor for survival (P = .02) and recurrence (P = .05). Gender (P = .04) and type of lung resection (P = .04) were predictors of survival. T stage for STS of trunk and extremity, and TNM stage for lung cancer were predictors for recurrence (P = .03 and P = .04, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Surgical resection within a multimodality therapy concept in highly selected patients can offer good long-term outcome.

Clinical features and outcomes of primary bone and soft tissue sarcomas in adolescents and young adults

The aim of the present study was to investigate the clinical outcomes of adolescents and young adults with bone and soft tissue sarcomas. Records of seven male and six female patients aged 17-39 years with bone or soft tissue sarcomas were reviewed retrospectively; data on histology, size, location, grade/stage, treatment, recurrence, presence of metastasis, and prognosis were retrieved. Five-year survival rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and were compared according to age, sarcoma type, histological grade, and location. Seven and six patients had bone and soft tissue sarcomas, respectively. In terms of histology, patients with bone sarcomas included four with osteosarcoma, two with chondrosarcoma, and one with Ewing sarcoma of the bone. Of those with soft tissue sarcomas, three had liposarcomas, two had synovial sarcomas, and one each had Ewing sarcoma and leiomyosarcoma. The five-year survival rate of the cohort was 57.1%. Younger patients with sarcoma had poorer survival than older patients. Patients with high-grade sarcomas also had poorer survival than those with low-grade tumors. In addition, patients with trunk-located tumors had poorer survival than those with tumors in the extremities. These findings suggest that, younger adolescents and young adults with high-grade or trunk-located sarcomas require more aggressive treatment.

Nodal metastases of soft tissue sarcomas: risk factors, imaging findings, and implications

Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) are malignancies derived from connective tissue, and regional lymph node metastasis (RLNM), while not common, is an important aspect of prognosis and treatment. Various risk factors, in particular the histological subtype, affect the likelihood of nodal involvement, which can be characterized by imaging features such as nodal dimension and morphology. Currently, surveillance and management vary by institution, as concrete societal guidelines have not been established. Common nodal status assessment strategies include physical exam, US CT, MRI, sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and radical lymphadenectomy. This article summarizes data regarding relevant risk factors of RLNM, imaging features, and any available data regarding surveillance recommendations.

Early Lymph Node Metastasis May Predict Poor Prognosis in Soft Tissue Sarcoma

Background

Lymph node metastasis (LNM) is a relatively rare event in soft tissue sarcoma. An association between the timing of LNM detection and patient prognosis is presently unknown.

Patients and Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathological features of 33 patients with LNM between 2001 and 2015. Analysis of the timing of LNM diagnosis was grouped according to patients presenting LNM in either <8 months (the median time from primary tumor diagnosis to LNM) or ≥8 months after primary tumor diagnosis.

Results

A relationship between the primary tumor size and the timing of the LNM was not significantly found (Rs = 0.0088, p=0.96). Sixteen patients had an LNM detection duration of <8 months, and 17 patients had a duration of ≥8 months. The 5-year survival for patients with an LNM detection duration of <8 months and ≥8 months was 19% and 71%, respectively (p=0.0016). There were 19 patients with pulmonary metastases. Among them, there were 13 patients with a duration of primary tumor diagnosis to LNM of <8 months and 6 with a duration of ≥8 months (p=0.01).

Conclusion

Early LNM (<8 months) may predict poor prognosis in soft tissue sarcoma.

Predictors of Lymph Node Involvement by Soft Tissue Sarcoma of the Trunk and Extremity: An Analysis of the National Cancer Database

Background and Objectives

Lymph node metastases (LNM) in soft tissue sarcoma (STS) of the trunk and extremity are rare but are associated with worse survival. Established risk factors for LNM in this group are based on small institutional retrospective reviews. This study identifies the risk factors associated with LNM in otherwise non-metastatic trunk/extremity STS patients using the National Cancer Database (NCDB) and sought out to delineate a high-risk group that may be considered for pathologic nodal evaluation.

Methods

The files of 10,731 patients with STS of the trunk/extremity without distant metastasis from 2004 - 2015 were evaluated. Exclusion criteria included neoadjuvant therapy and a lack of pathologic nodal evaluation. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression models were performed to evaluate variables associated with LNM.

Results

Of the total of 10,731 patients, 223 (2.1%) had LNM. On multivariable analysis, LNM was associated with Grade 3 tumors (odds ratio (OR) 15.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 6.36 - 38.04, p < 0.001) and clear cell/angiosarcoma/rhabdomyosarcoma/epithelioid (CARE) histology (OR 4.72, 95% CI 3.35 - 6.66, p < 0.001), lymphovascular invasion (LVI) (OR 5.86, 95% CI 3.33 - 10.31, p < 0.001, and bone invasion (BI) (OR 2.73, 95% CI 1.32 - 5.61, p = 0.006). Patients with Grade 3 CARE tumors (n = 402) had an 11.9% risk of LNM vs. 1.7% of adults without all these characteristics (p < 0.001). Patients with Grade 3 CARE tumors and either LVI or BI (n = 36) had a 33.3% risk of LNM.

Conclusions

High-grade and CARE histology are associated with LNM in STS. Adult patients with both features have an overall 11.9% risk of LNM and may be considered for pathologic LN assessment, particularly with the presence of LVI or BI.

Primary pulmonary sarcoma - treatment outcomes depending on the different types of radical operation

Introduction

Primary pulmonary sarcomas (PPS) are rare types of non-epithelial malignant tumors of the lungs (0.013–1.1% of all malignant lung tumors). The PPS can originate from mesenchymal elements of the bronchial wall, vessels or pulmonary stroma. Since the introduction of immunohistochemical and molecular diagnosis, a significant improvement in description and classification of sarcomas has been achieved. Nonetheless, sarcomas still remain a diagnostic and clinical problem.

Aim

To estimate factors which could have an influence on the overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of different types of radical operations (R₀) for PPS.

Material and methods

Fourteen patients who underwent surgical radical treatment between 1994 and 2009 with a final diagnosis of PPS were analyzed.

Results

A group of 14 patients, treated with R₀ operations (pneumonectomies, lobectomies, non-anatomical resections), were included in the analysis. Median OS of patients undergoing R₀ operations was respectively: for pneumonectomy 7 months, lobectomy 20 months, non-anatomic resections 213 months. Patients subjected to non-anatomical resections had better prognosis than the others treated radically (p < 0.05); however, this group of patients had the most local recurrences (3 patients – 50%). Statistical analysis did not show the influence of prognostic factors characteristic of PPS and soft tissue sarcoma (STS) on OS in the types of surgery performed.

Conclusions

There are no unambiguous factors affecting OS and PFS of patients who have undergone anatomical and non-anatomical resections. A large number of local recurrences in non-anatomical operations may indicate that PPS spread like lung cancer.

Lymph Node Sampling and Survival in Child and Adolescent Extremity Soft-Tissue Sarcoma

BACKGROUND

The significance of lymph node sampling (LNS) on disease-specific survival (DSS) of extremity soft tissue sarcomas (STS) is unknown. We investigated the effect of LNS on DSS in child and adolescent extremity STS.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry was queried for patients aged <20 y with extremity STS who underwent surgery. Patient demographics were collected and analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 1550 patients were included, with findings of 10-y DSS of 74% for all extremity STS and 49% for rhabdoymyosarcoma (RMS) (P < 0.005). LNS was associated with worse DSS in patients with extremity nonrhabdomyosacrcoma soft tissue sarcomas (79% versus 84%, P = 0.036). Conversely, LNS was associated with an improved DSS in patients with extremity RMS (64% versus 49%, P = 0.005).

CONCLUSIONS

LNS is positively associated with an improved DSS in child and adolescent extremity RMS. Multivariate analysis found no correlation between DSS and LNS in child and adolescent extremity nonrhabdomyosarcoma soft tissue sarcomas.

What Is the Clinical Importance of Incidental Findings on Staging CT Scans in Patients With Sarcoma?

BACKGROUND

Baseline staging CT scans are performed on nearly every patient after the diagnosis of a sarcoma to evaluate for the presence of metastatic disease. These scans often identify abnormalities that may or may not be related to the known malignancy. Despite the high frequency of incidental findings, there is little guidance for clinicians faced with assessing these radiographic abnormalities. The interpretation of incidental findings is important because it may influence decisions regarding surveillance frequency, prognostic estimation, and surgical and medical intervention.

QUESTIONS/PURPOSES

The purpose of this study was to determine (1) the frequency of abnormal findings and indeterminate nodules on staging CT scans; (2) the natural history of indeterminate nodules identified at the time of sarcoma diagnosis; and (3) the factors associated with indeterminate nodules representing true metastatic disease.

METHODS

Between September 2010 and February 2016 we treated 233 patients with bone and soft tissue sarcomas. Of those, 227 (97%) had a staging CT scan of the chest or chest/abdomen/pelvis performed within 2 months of diagnosis. To be eligible for this retrospective study, a patient had to have a minimum of 6 months of radiographic followup after that initial CT scan. A total of 36 (16%) were lost to followup or did not have radiographic surveillance at least 6 months later, and 48 (21%) were excluded for other prespecified reasons, leaving 149 patients for evaluation. We recorded all abnormal findings listed in the official radiology CT report of the lung, bone, liver, and lymph nodes. We assessed progression of indeterminate nodules by reviewing radiology reports, which listed both size and number of findings, and clinical notes outlining the current assessment of disease status and treatment plan. If indeterminate nodules grew in size or number consistent with metastatic disease or were confirmed histologically, they were considered to represent true metastasis. Bivariate methods were used to investigate an association between various clinical factors, which were obtained from chart review, and progression of indeterminate nodules to clear metastatic disease.

RESULTS

One hundred thirty-five of 149 patients (91%) had at least one abnormal finding on a staging CT scan. Forty-nine patients (33%) presented with indeterminate lung nodules, 15 (10%) with indeterminate liver lesions, four (3%) with indeterminate bone lesions, and 57 (38%) with enlarged lymph nodes. Fifteen of the 49 patients with indeterminate lung nodules (31%), one of 15 liver nodules, zero of four bone lesions, four of 13 lymph nodes 1 to 2 cm in size, and two of 44 subcentimeter lymph nodes (4.5%) were clearly metastatic on followup. A primary tumor size ≥ 14 cm in greatest dimension was more suggestive of indeterminate nodules representing true metastatic disease compared with smaller primary tumors in both lung (eight of 10 compared with seven of 36 [19%]; odds ratio, 16.6; 95% confidence interval, 2.9-95.9; p < 0.001) and lymph nodes (six of 18 compared with zero of 36 [0%], p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

It is extremely common for abnormal findings and incidental nodules to be present at the time of a staging CT scan in patients with sarcoma. Although patients with indeterminate nodules should have continued surveillance, it appears from this study that the majority of these findings do not represent true metastatic disease. Given a minimum followup of 6 months, it is possible the actual proportion of indeterminate lesions representing true metastatic disease may increase over time.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III, prognostic study.

MR Imaging of Pediatric Musculoskeletal Tumors:: Recent Advances and Clinical Applications

Pediatric musculoskeletal tumors comprise approximately 10% of childhood neoplasms, and MR imaging has been used as the imaging evaluation standard for these tumors. The role of MR imaging in these cases includes identification of tumor origin, tissue characterization, and definition of tumor extent and relationship to adjacent structures as well as therapeutic response in posttreatment surveillance. Technical advances have enabled quantitative evaluation of biochemical changes in tumors. This article reviews recent updates to MR imaging of pediatric musculoskeletal tumors, focusing on advanced MR imaging techniques and providing information on the relevant physics of these techniques, clinical applications, and pitfalls.

Local recurrence of soft-tissue sarcoma: issues in imaging surveillance strategy

Soft-tissue sarcomas pose diagnostic and therapeutic challenges to physicians, owing to the large number of subtypes, aggressive tumor biology, lack of consensus on management, and controversy surrounding interval and duration of surveillance scans. Advances in multidisciplinary management have improved the care of sarcoma patients, but controversy remains regarding strategies for surveillance following definitive local control. This review provides an updated, comprehensive overview of the current understanding of the risk of local recurrence of soft-tissue sarcoma, by examining the literature based on features such as histological type and grade, tumor size, and resection margin status, with the aim of helping clinicians, surgeons, and radiologists to develop a tailored approach to local imaging surveillance.

[Soft tissue sarcomas: limb salvage using reconstructive plastic surgery techniques]

The treatment of choice for soft tissue sarcomas with local involvement is still the complete surgical removal into healthy tissue. The aim of surgery is to achieve tumor-free resection margins in the sense of a R0 resection. No other treatment option can equally replace this important oncological condition. The enormous development in the field of reconstructive plastic surgery and in particular the advances in flap techniques and microsurgery enable limb salvage and the functional reconstruction even in the case of extensive tumors.

Lipomatous Soft-tissue Tumors

Lipomatous soft-tissue tumors are the most common neoplasms encountered by physicians. They range from benign lipomas to high-grade liposarcomas. Unplanned excisions of sarcomas are commonly due to the presumptive diagnosis of lipoma and can be avoided by understanding their diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging appearance. Magnetic resonance images should be obtained for all soft-tissue masses that are deep to fascia or those >5 cm in subcutaneous tissue. Atypical lipomatous tumors present as large deep fatty masses and have a propensity for local recurrence and a small risk of malignant transformation. Well-differentiated liposarcomas are histologically identical to atypical lipomatous tumors but have a markedly worse prognosis secondary to their anatomic location. Masses that lack isointense signal to subcutaneous fat on MRI may represent a sarcoma and require a biopsy before definitive treatment. Large deep lipomatous masses and liposarcomas should be sent to a sarcoma referral center for definitive treatment.

Multiple Soft Tissue Sarcomas in a Single Patient: An International Multicentre Review

Developing multiple soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) is a rare process, sparsely reported in the literature to date. Little is known about the pattern of disease development or outcomes in these patients. Patients were identified from three tertiary orthopaedic oncology centres in Canada and the UK. Patients who developed multiple extremity STSs were collated retrospectively from prospective oncology databases. A literature review using MEDLINE was also performed. Six patients were identified in the case series from these three institutions, and five studies were identified from the literature review. Overall, 17 patients were identified with a median age of 51 years (range: 19 to 77). The prevalence of this manifestation in STS patients is 1 in 1225. The median disease-free interval between diagnoses was 2.3 years (range: 0 to 19 years). Most patients developed the secondary STS in a metachronous pattern, the remaining, synchronously. The median survival after the first sarcoma was 6 years, and it was 1.6 years after the second sarcoma. The 5-year overall survival rate was 83.3% and 50% following the first and second STS diagnoses, respectively. A diagnosis of two STSs does not confer a worse prognosis than the diagnosis of a single STS. Developing a second STS is a rare event with no identifiable histological pattern of occurrence. Presentation in a metachronous pattern is more common. A high degree of vigilance is required in patients with a previous STS both to detect both local recurrence and to identify new masses remote from the previous STS site. Acquiring an early histological diagnosis should be attempted.

Comparative Performance of the 7th and 8th Editions of the American Joint Committee on Cancer Staging Systems for Soft Tissue Sarcoma of the Trunk and Extremities

BACKGROUND

The 8th edition American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging for soft tissue sarcomas of the trunk/extremities divides T stage into four categories and upstages nodal disease to stage IV. We used the National Cancer Database (NCDB) to evaluate the prognostic power of the new system.

METHODS

A total of 26,144 patients were identified from the NCDB from 2004 to 2013. Overall survival (OS) was compared using Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazard models.

RESULTS

Including T3 (10 cm > × >15 cm) and T4 (> 15 cm) categories resulted in an increased number of patients classified as stage III (5120 as IIIA [19.6%] and 4280 as IIIB [16.4%], vs. 7882 [30.1%] previously), and there was a small increase in the number of patients classified as stage IV (2776 [10.6%], vs. 2565 [9.8%] previously). In the 7th edition, the hazard ratio (HR) for death increases with stage, with large incremental increases between stages II-III and III-IV. In the 8th edition, the HR for death demonstrates smaller incremental increases between each stage. Five-year OS for 7th edition T1 and T2 patients was 78.8 and 58.8% (p < 0.01), respectively, versus 62.6, 53.5, and 56.1% for T2, T3, and T4 patients, respectively, in the 8th edition (p < 0.01). Patients with isolated nodal disease (n = 211) had a better 5-year OS than those with distant metastases (33.1% vs. 12.4%, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The AJCC 8th edition uses T stage to more accurately stratify OS in patients with large, high-grade tumors (T3/4) compared with those patients with T2 tumors, which facilitates risk assessment. The distinction between T3 and T4 may not be clinically significant. Patients with metastatic nodal disease have a survival outcome intermediate to those with stages III and IV disease.

Defining the incidence and clinical significance of lymph node metastasis in soft tissue sarcoma

INTRODUCTION

The incidence and clinical significance of lymph node metastasis (LNM, N1) in soft tissue sarcoma (STS) is unclear. Recent studies have focused on extremity/trunk STS (ETSTS). We sought to define the subgroup of patients with LNM at sarcoma diagnosis across all disease sites and histologies.

METHODS

We identified and categorized 89,870 STS patients from the National Cancer Data Base (1998-2012) by nodal stage. Pathologically confirmed LNM (pN1) were identified in 1404 patients; 1750 had clinically suspicious but not pathologically confirmed LNM (cN1). Survival analyses were performed by Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTS

Of 3154 patients (3.5%) with pN1 or cN1 LNM at presentation, 1310 had synchronous distant metastasis (M1). LNM affected a small proportion of patients (5.8% head/neck, 5.3% intrathoracic, 5.1% intra-abdominal, 2.0% ETSTS). Angiosarcoma (6%), epithelioid (13%), clear cell (16%), and small cell sarcoma (19%) had the highest incidence of LNM, although liposarcoma, fibrous histiocytoma, and leiomyosarcoma accounted for the greatest number of LNM patients. For pN1M0 disease, median overall survival (OS) was 28.2 months, varying by histology. Among patients with pN1M0 STS, angiosarcoma, clear cell sarcoma, leiomyosarcoma, and fibrous histiocytoma were associated with worse median OS (19.4, 23.8, 27.1, and 29.3 months) compared to epithelioid sarcoma and liposarcoma (49.6 and 56.0 months, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Despite clinical suspicion, pathologic LN evaluation in STS is inconsistently performed. LNM occurs across anatomic disease sites and is unevenly distributed across histologies. Although M1 disease portends poor prognosis regardless of LN status, LNM predicts worse OS in a histology-dependent manner in M0 disease.

Distant metastasis in patients with myxofibrosarcoma

PURPOSE

A clinical feature of myxofibrosarcoma is local recurrence, but knowledge about distant metastasis is sparse. We evaluated the tendency of clinical and histological features of metastasis in myxofibrosarcoma patients.

METHODS

Fifty-eight patients with myxofibrosarcoma were treated in our hospitals, and a total of 16 consecutive patients with distant metastases were included in this retrospective study (9 males and 7 females, with a mean age of 77 years). Because there was no patient complicated by both lung and lymph node metastases, we compared the age, sex, tumor size and location, French Federation of Cancer Centers Sarcoma Group (FNCLCC) grade, American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage, and times of the first metastasis from the initial examination between the lung and lymph node groups. In addition, we examined factors affecting the prognosis.

RESULTS

The median follow-up period was 42.9 months (range 8-142). Eleven of 16 patients developed pulmonary metastases. The sites of extra pulmonary metastases were the lymph nodes in 5 patients, bone in 1, subcutaneous in 1, intramuscular in 1, and peritoneum in 1. The median time for patients to develop distant metastases was 17.4 months (range 0-59). The time until the onset of the first metastasis in the lung metastasis group was significantly shorter than in the lymph node group (p < 0.05). Also, the survival rate in the lymph node metastasis group was better than in the lung metastasis group (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Not only lung metastasis but also lymph node metastasis occurs frequently in myxofibrosarcoma patients. Myxofibrosarcoma with lung metastasis is more aggressive than the type with lymph node metastasis.