Rehabilitation to Improve the Function and Quality of Life of Soft Tissue and Bony Sarcoma Patients

Emerging innovations and advancements in the treatment of extremity and truncal soft tissue sarcomas

In this special edition update on soft tissue sarcomas (STS), we cover classifications, emerging technologies, prognostic tools, radiation schemas, and treatment disparities in extremity and truncal STS. We discuss the importance of enhancing local control and reducing complications, including the role of innovative imaging, surgical guidance, and hypofractionated radiation. We review advancements in systemic and immunotherapeutic treatments and introduce disparities seen in this vulnerable population that must be considered to improve overall patient care.

Gradual loaded exercise of knee extension muscles using an orthosis after wide resection of a femoral sarcoma and quadriceps muscle: a case report

BACKGROUND

Details of improved gait ability after wide resection of soft tissue sarcomas that necessitate removal of portions of the quadricep muscle have not yet been reported. We describe a patient with improved gait ability following a rehabilitation program after wide resection of a soft tissue sarcoma that included four components of the quadricep muscle.

CASE PRESENTATION

An 85-year-old Japanese man underwent wide resection of an undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma that included portions of the quadriceps femoris muscle. The rectus femoris, vastus medialis, sartorius, and vastus intermedius were separated in the maximally bulging region of the tumour. Three weeks postoperatively, gait exercise was initiated using a rigid knee orthosis with a dual-adjustable lock knee. The contraction loading of the knee extension muscle was controlled by adjusting the hinge motion range of the orthosis as follows: fully extended, fixed knee 0°-30°, and free range. Under this regimen, he could walk independently without a rigid orthosis within 5 weeks postoperatively but could not sit on his heels during daily living activities. At six months, there was no clinical evidence of recurrent tumours or complications.

CONCLUSIONS

Postoperative gait ability might be affected by not only the number of resected muscles but also by the function of the separated muscles and the cross-sectional area of the remaining muscle. Gradually loaded exercise of the knee extension muscles using an orthosis could result in an improved gait motion for patients who undergo wide resection of a sarcoma that includes four components of the quadriceps femoris.

Health related Quality of Life over time in German sarcoma patients. An analysis of associated factors - results of the PROSa study

Introduction

Sarcomas are rare cancers and very heterogeneous in their location, histological subtype, and treatment. Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) of sarcoma patients has rarely been investigated in longitudinal studies.

Methods

Here, we assessed adult sarcoma patients and survivors between September 2017 and February 2020, and followed-up for one year in 39 study centers in Germany. Follow-up time points were 6 (t1) and 12 months (t2) after inclusion. We used a standardized, validated questionnaire (the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Core Instrument (EORTC QLQ-C30) and explored predictors of HRQoL in two populations (all patients (Analysis 1), patients in ongoing complete remission (Analysis 2)) using generalized linear mixed models.

Results

In total we included up to 1111 patients at baseline (915 at t1, and 847 at t2), thereof 387 participants were in complete remission at baseline (334 at t1, and 200 at t2). When analyzing all patients, HRQoL differed with regard to tumor locations: patients with sarcoma in lower extremities reported lower HRQoL values than patients with sarcomas in the upper extremities. Treatment which included radiotherapy and/or systemic therapy was associated with lower HRQoL. For patients in complete remission, smoking was associated with worse HRQoL-outcomes. In both analyses, bone sarcomas were associated with the worst HRQoL values. Being female, in the age group 55-<65 years, having lower socioeconomic status, and comorbidities were all associated with a lower HRQoL, in both analyses.

Discussion

HRQoL increased partially over time since treatment and with sporting activities. HRQoL improved with time since treatment, although not in all domains, and was associated with lifestyle and socioeconomic factors. Bone sarcomas were the most affected subgroup. Methods to preserve and improve HRQoL should be developed for sarcoma patients.

Therapeutic validity and effectiveness of exercise interventions after lower limb-salvage surgery for sarcoma: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

An increasing number of patients are surviving sarcoma after lower limb-salvage surgery (LSS) and are left with functional limitations. This systematic review aimed to determine the therapeutic validity and effectiveness of exercise interventions after lower limb-salvage surgery (LSS) for sarcoma.

METHODS

A systematic review was conducted using formal narrative synthesis of intervention studies (with and without control group) identified through PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and PEDro databases. Studies were included if participants were treated with LSS for unilateral lower limb sarcoma and followed an exercise intervention using active exercise, physical training, or rehabilitation before and/or after surgery. This review's outcome measures were interventions' therapeutic validity, assessed using the CONTENT scale (0 to 9); methodological quality, identified using the Downs & Black checklist (0 to 28); interventions' effectiveness, assessed based on differences in outcome measures between intervention and control groups; and certainty of evidence, classified according to the GRADE approach.

RESULTS

Seven studies involving 214 participants were included. None of the included interventions were therapeutically valid (median 5, range 1-5). All but one study were of at least fair methodological quality (median 18, range 14-21). There was very low-quality evidence that exercise interventions resulted in increased knee range of motion (MD 10-15°) or compliance (MD 30%), and reduced functionality scores (MD -5%) compared to usual care.

CONCLUSIONS

We found overall low therapeutic validity of interventions, performed in overall low-quality studies. Combined with the very low certainty of evidence, the results prevent drawing valid conclusions on the interventions' effectiveness. Future studies should aim for uniformity among their methodological approaches and outcome measures, using the CONTENT scale as a template to avert insufficient reporting.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42021244635.

Current approaches to management of bone sarcoma in adolescent and young adult patients

Bone tumors are a group of histologically diverse diseases that occur across all ages. Two of the commonest, osteosarcoma (OS) and Ewing sarcoma (ES), are regarded as characteristic adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancers with an incidence peak in AYAs. They are curable for some but associated with unacceptably high rates of treatment failure and morbidity. The introduction of effective new therapeutics for bone sarcomas is slow, and to date, complex biology has been insufficiently characterized to allow more rapid therapeutic exploitation. This review focuses on current standards of care, recent advances that have or may soon change that standard of care and challenges to the expert clinical research community that we suggest must be met.

Symptoms and their implications on quality of life and psychological distress in sarcoma patients

The aim of this study was to investigate symptoms, their variation over time and their relationship with quality of life (QoL)/psychological distress in sarcoma patients, as few data regarding QoL and psychological distress in this set of patients are currently available. A total of 188 sarcoma patients from an Italian referral center were involved. Symptoms and financial difficulties were evaluated with the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire from the first treatment and over the follow-up period, up to 6 years. The authors found that patients with sarcoma experience several symptoms, especially fatigue and pain, which may dramatically worsen QoL and psychological distress. In conclusion, patients with sarcoma often experience fatigue, pain and financial difficulties, which negatively impacts QoL and psychological distress. To ameliorate overall QoL, proper control of symptoms is necessary.