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Adhesion molecules in high-grade soft tissue sarcomas: correlation to clinical outcome.

The extracellular matrix (ECM) forms a framework for cell adhesion, but it also regulates growth and differentiation. Normal and malignant cells interact with the ECM via specific receptors, the integrins. To explore the mechanisms of growth and spread in soft tissue sarcomas the expression of the major ECM molecules and their corresponding integrin receptors were studied by immunohistochemistry in high-grade soft tissue sarcomas: malignant fibrous histiocytoma (20 cases), malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour (17 cases) and synovial sarcoma (21 cases). The expression pattern was compared with cell proliferation and clinical outcome. Integrins were found to be expressed according to histological pattern. In synovial sarcomas, the epithelial component showed a high alpha 2 but negative or minimal detection of alpha 5 expression, while a weak alpha 2 expression and a moderate alpha 5 expression were found in the spindle cell component. No alpha 2 expression was detected in malignant fibrous histiocytoma, and minimal alpha 5 expression was detected in malignant schwannoma. The alpha 6 expression levels were positively correlated with the occurrence of metastases in all types of sarcomas studied. The expression of ECM molecules was downregulated and irregular in most tumours. In conclusion, the divergent integrin expression pattern could be useful in the diagnosis and classification of soft tissue sarcomas. Furthermore, since high laminin receptor expression correlates with occurrence of metastases, it could become a useful prognostic marker.

Disease-Free Survival↗

Expression of MDR1/P glycoprotein in human sarcomas.

Conflicting reports of MDR1 gene expression in human tumours are observed according to whether studies are performed at the mRNA or P-glycoprotein level. We have investigated this expression in 22 clinically drug-resistant sarcomas at the mRNA level by Northern blot (NB), Dot blot (DB), in situ hybridisation (ISH), and at the protein level by immunohistochemistry (IHC) using three monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs): C219, JSB1, MRK16. Increased MDR1 mRNA expression was detected by NB, DB, and ISH in 1/22 sarcoma (an Ewing's sarcoma). ISH was perfectly correlated with DB hybridisation and confirmed the expression of tumoral cells alone. Specific staining of 100% of tumoral cells was obtained with the three MoAbs in the same sarcoma. Expression in tumoral cells of 12 other sarcomas was detected with MRK16, and positive staining of stromal cells with both C219 (1/22) and MRK16 (8/22) was observed. This study confirms that MDR1 overexpression occurs in human sarcomas but is not the principal mechanism of drug-resistance. Furthermore, positivity with one antibody does not necessarily imply the presence of P glycoprotein (P-gp) and a disparity may exist between the levels of P-gp and its mRNA in the same sample. So care must be taken in interpreting results and more sensitive techniques such as the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) could prove useful.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

Addition of ifosfamide and etoposide to standard chemotherapy for Ewing's sarcoma and primitive neuroectodermal tumor of bone.

BACKGROUND: Ewing's sarcoma and primitive neuroectodermal tumor of bone are closely related, highly malignant tumors of children, adolescents, and young adults. A new drug combination, ifosfamide and etoposide, was highly effective in patients with Ewing's sarcoma or primitive neuroectodermal tumor of bone who had a relapse after standard therapy. We designed a study to test whether the addition of these drugs to a standard regimen would improve the survival of patients with newly diagnosed disease. METHODS: Patients 30 years old or younger with Ewing's sarcoma, primitive neuroectodermal tumor of bone, or primitive sarcoma of bone were eligible. The patients were randomly assigned to receive 49 weeks of standard chemotherapy with doxorubicin, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, and dactinomycin or experimental therapy with these four drugs alternating with courses of ifosfamide and etoposide. RESULTS: A total of 518 patients met the eligibility requirements. Of 120 patients with metastatic disease, 62 were randomly assigned to the standard-therapy group and 58 to the experimental-therapy group. There was no significant difference in five-year event-free survival between the treatment groups (P=0.81). Among the 398 patients with nonmetastatic disease, the mean (+/-SE) five-year event-free survival among the 198 patients in the experimental-therapy group was 69+/-3 percent, as compared with 54+/-4 percent among the 200 patients in the standard-therapy group (P=0.005). Overall survival was also significantly better among patients in the experimental-therapy group (72+/-3.4 percent vs. 61+/-3.6 percent in the standard-therapy group, P=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The addition of ifosfamide and etoposide to a standard regimen does not affect the outcome for patients with metastatic disease, but it significantly improves the outcome for patients with nonmetastatic Ewing's sarcoma, primitive neuroectodermal tumor of bone, or primitive sarcoma of bone.

Adolescent↗

Isolated limb perfusion with tumor necrosis factor and melphalan for limb salvage in 186 patients with locally advanced soft tissue extremity sarcomas. The cumulative multicenter European experience.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to achieve limb salvage in patients with locally advanced soft tissue sarcomas that can only be treated by amputation or functionally mutilating surgery by performing an isolated limb perfusion (ILP) with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) + melphalan (M) as induction biochemotherapy to obtain local control and make limb-sparing surgery possible. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: To increase the number of limb-sparing resections in the treatment of locally advanced extremity soft tissue sarcoma, preoperative radiation therapy or chemotherapy or a combination of the two often are applied. The ILP with cytostatic agents alone is another option but rarely is used because of rather poor results. The efficacy of the application of TNF in ILP markedly has changed this situation. METHODS: In 8 cancer centers, 186 patients were treated over a period of almost 4.5 years. There were 107 (57%) primary and 79 (43%) recurrent sarcomas, mostly high grade (110 grade III; 51 grade II; and 25 very large, recurrent, or multiple grade I sarcomas). The composition of this series of patients is unusual: 42 patients (23%) had multifocal primary or multiple recurrent tumors; median tumor size was very large (16 cm); 25 patients (13%) had known systemic metastases at the time of the ILP. Patients underwent a 90-minute ILP at 39 to 40 C with TNF + melphalan. The first 55 patients also received interferon-tau. A delayed marginal resection of the tumor remnant was done 2 to 4 months after ILP. RESULTS: A major tumor response was seen in 82% of the patients rendering these large sarcomas resectable in most cases. Clinical response rates were: 33 complete response (CR) (18%), 106 partial response (PR) (57%), 42 no change (NC) (22%), and 5 progressive disease (PD) (3%). Final outcome was defined by clinical and pathologic response: 54 CR (29%), 99 PR (53%), 29 NC (16%), and 4 PD (2%). At a median follow-up of almost 2 years (22 months; range, 6-58 months), limb salvage was achieved in 82%. Regional toxicity was limited and systemic toxicity minimal to moderate, easily managed, with no toxic deaths. CONCLUSIONS: In the setting of isolated limb perfusion, TNF is an active anticancer drug in patients. The ILP with TNF + melphalan can be performed safely in many centers and is an effective induction treatment with a high response rate that can achieve limb salvage in patients with locally advanced extremity soft tissue sarcoma.

Adolescent↗

Sarcomas metastatic to the ovary: a report of 21 cases.

Twenty-one cases in which sarcomas metastasized to the ovaries are reported. The patients ranged from 18 to 79 (average 42) years of age; only five of them were over 50 years old. Eleven tumors were primary in the uterus and 10 outside the genital tract. Three uterine tumors were leiomyosarcomas, and eight, endometrial stromal sarcomas. The extragenital primary tumors were leiomyosarcoma of the stomach (1) and small intestine (2), retrovesical leiomyosarcoma (1), fibrosarcoma of the anterior abdominal wall (1), sarcoma of the mesentery of smooth muscle or neural type (1), hemangiosarcoma probably primary in the heart (1), osteosarcoma of the maxilla (1), chondrosarcoma of the rib (1), and Ewing's sarcoma of the pubic bone (1). The ovarian tumors, most of which were large, were discovered at the same time as the primary tumors in 11 cases; in seven cases, the ovarian tumor was discovered 7 months to 9 years after diagnosis of the primary tumor. In three cases, the ovarian tumors were discovered 4, 7, and 10 months before detection of the primary neoplasm. Two of these tumors were endometrial stromal sarcomas, and one, an epithelioid leiomyosarcoma of the stomach. Eleven ovarian metastases were bilateral. On microscopic examination, the greatest difficulty in pathologic interpretation was posed by the metastatic endometrial stromal sarcomas because of their simulation of sex cord-stromal tumors. Features helpful in their distinction from these tumors included the frequent presence of extra-ovarian disease, bilaterality, and a characteristic content of small arteries resembling the spiral arteries of the late secretory endometrium. The other tumor that caused major diagnostic difficulty was the metastatic epithelioid leiomyosarcoma from the stomach, which had a pattern that initially suggested the solid-tubular pattern of a Sertoli cell tumor.

Adolescent↗

Targeting angiogenesis for the treatment of sarcoma.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: More therapeutic options are needed for bone and soft tissue sarcomas, especially for patients with metastatic disease. Recent randomized clinical trials conducted in colon, breast and lung cancer have shown the anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agent, bevacizumab, alone or in combination with chemotherapy, improves response and survival. Preclinical studies have demonstrated the anti-tumor effects of varied anti-angiogenic agents in sarcoma cell lines and tumor models. RECENT FINDINGS: Preclinical studies in sarcomas have evaluated the role of targeted agents including platelet-derived growth factor, matrix metalloproteinases, urokinase receptor and varied small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Novel angiogenesis inhibitors are being studied in the treatment of sarcoma, including monoclonal antibodies against vascular endothelial growth factor, cis- and trans-retinoic acids, thalidomide, and tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Phase I, II and III clinical trials continue to evaluate these agents alone, in combinations together and combined with standard chemotherapy. We review herein the preclinical rationale and clinical trial results of anti-angiogenesis therapy in the treatment of soft tissue and bone sarcoma. SUMMARY: Preclinical mechanistic study and clinical trials are continuing in order to evaluate the therapeutic role and ultimately validate the efficacy of the varied anti-angiogenesis agents in soft tissue and bone sarcoma.

Angiogenesis Inhibitors↗

Analysis of the myeloproliferative sarcoma virus genome: limited changes in the prototype lead to altered target cell specificity.

The myeloproliferative sarcoma virus (MPSV) derived from Moloney sarcoma virus (MSV-Mol) is a unique sarcoma virus which causes expansion of the hematopoietic stem cell compartment as well as the erythroid and myeloid cell lineages. MPSV also induces spleen focus formation in adult mice as do Friend and Rauscher viruses. Analysis of the MPSV genome on methyl mercury gels showed that the genome size is 7.0 kilobases, which is larger than the defective genome of any known MSV-Mol isolate. Hybridization analysis with specific cDNA probes showed that MPSV is a modified sarcoma virus with no sequences in the unique region of the defective sarcoma genome related to unique Friend virus sequences. The only viral sequences in the defective genome other than helper virus-related sequences are derived from the Moloney sarcoma virus genome with no new cellular sequences added. There was no evidence for induction of xenotropic virus sequences in MPSV-infected spleens of DBA/2J mice, indicating that spleen focus formation can be obtained by different mechanisms.

Animals↗

Nucleotide sequences of feline sarcoma virus long terminal repeats and 5' leaders show extensive homology to those of other mammalian retroviruses.

The nucleotide sequences of the Gardner-Arnstein feline sarcoma virus (FeSV) long terminal repeat and the adjacent leader sequences 5' to the viral gag gene were determined. These were compared with homologous portions of Synder-Theilen FeSV and with previously published sequences for Moloney murine sarcoma virus and simian sarcoma virus proviral DNA. More than 75% of the residues in the FeSV R and U5 regions were homologous to sequences within the same regions of the other viral long terminal repeats. Unexpectedly, alignment of the FeSV sequences with those of the Moloney murine sarcoma and simian sarcoma viruses showed similar extents of homology within U3. The homologous U3 regions included the inverted repeats, a single set of putative enhancer sequences, corresponding to a "72-base-pair" repeat, and sequences, including the CAT and TATA boxes, characteristic of eucaryotic promotors. The 5' leader sequences of both FeSV strains included a binding site for prolyl tRNA and a putative splice donor sequence. In addition, the FeSV leader contained a long open reading frame which was adjacent to and in phase with the ATG codon at the 5' end of the FeSV gag gene. The open reading frame could code for a signal peptide of about 7.4 kilodaltons. Our results support the concept that the virogenic portions of both FeSV and simian sarcoma virus were ancestrally derived from viruses of rodent origin, with conservation of regulatory sequences as well as the viral structural genes.

Base Sequence↗

Tumor immunity generated in the course of regression of v-src-induced sarcomas.

Previous studies have indicated that the regression versus progression of v-src-DNA-induced sarcomas is dependent on chicken line. As a first step in analyzing the role of tumor immunity as a determinant of this line dependence, experiments were undertaken to ascertain whether an antisarcoma immune response is generated in the course of sarcoma growth in TK chickens, a regressor line. To assay for this response, test TK chickens in which v-src-induced wing web sarcomas had regressed, as well as control TK chickens that had not been exposed to v-src, were challenged in protocols known to yield v-src-dependent sarcoma formation and monitored for challenge sarcoma growth. Compared with the control chickens, the test chickens showed a significant resistance to the sarcomagenic challenge. These results raise the possibility that the antisarcoma response that is inducible in regressor lines, as demonstrated here in terms of a protective effect against a subsequent sarcomagenic challenge, may also underlie the regression of v-src-induced primary sarcomas.

Animals↗

Non conventional fractionation in radiotherapy of the musculo-skeletal sarcomas.

In 1989 we started an accelerated hyperfractionated schedule of radiotherapy (two 1.6 Gy daily fractions) in standard risk localized Ewing's sarcoma of bone, with the aim at reducing late effects in young patients and at improving disease control through a better integration of treatment modalities. From 1991, the same schedule was used in preoperative radiotherapy of adult soft tissue sarcomas of the extremities: the main purpose was to reduce the time to surgery and to evaluate surgical complications in comparison with a previous experience of hypofractionated radiotherapy (one 3 Gy daily fraction). From 1991 to 1997, 76 patients with Ewing's sarcoma and 24 patients with soft tissue sarcoma were treated at our Institution. Results and complication rates are analyzed in comparison with historical data. In Ewing's sarcoma, a correct evaluation of improvement in local control was difficult because of changing treatment policy (bulky disease was not included in the present series). Late effects, as evaluated in patients with a minimum follow-up of 3 years, occurred with similar incidence, but at higher total dose levels in patients treated with accelerated hyperfractionation. In patients with soft tissue sarcomas, incidence of surgical complications is reduced as compared to historical experience. Major problems of wound healing were seen in association with intraoperative brachitherapy boost.

Adult↗

EWS-RNA Binding Protein 1: Structural Insights into Ewing Sarcoma by Conformational Dynamics Investigations.

BACKGROUND: Prior research has demonstrated that proteins play a significant role in the prognosis and treatments of various sarcomas, including Ewing sarcoma through the interplay of downstream signaling cascades. However, there is limited understanding about the strcucture conformation of EWSR1 and its structural implication in the prognosis of Ewsing Sarcoma by interaction with RNA molecules. AIMS: The primary goal of ongoing research is to determine how EWSR1 contributes to Ewing sarcoma. OBJECTIVE: The current study explores the complexity of EWSR1 structure and its conformational interactions with RNA in relation to Ewing sarcoma. METHODS: Here, we employed a comparative modeling approach to predict EWSR1 domains separately and assembled them into one structural unit using a DEMO server. Additionally, the RNA motifs interacting with EWSR1 were predicted, and the 3D model was built using RNAComposer. Protein-RNA docking and MD simulation studies were carried out to check the intermolecular interactions and stability behavior of docked EWSR1-RNA complexes. RESULTS: The overall results explore the structural insights into EWSR1 and their interactions with RNA, which may play a momentous role in co- and post-transcriptional regulation to control gene expression. CONCLUSION: Taken togather, our findings suggest that EWSR1 may be a useful therapeutic target for the diagnosis and management of Ewing sarcoma.

Sarcoma, Ewing↗

RECTICULUM CELL SARCOMA OF THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM.

One variety of sarcoma of the central nervous system (CNS) has been referred to under such synonyms as perithelial sarcoma, microglioma, and reticulum cell sarcoma. A case of diffuse involvement of the CNS is reported and the author believes that the tumour is a reticulum cell sarcoma because: (1) in addition to involvement of the CNS, lesions characteristic of a diffuse lymphomatous process were present in extraneural sites; (2) silver carbonate impregnation of the tumour cells was demonstrated. This tinctorial property has been reported as characteristic of microgliomas but has been shown to be an unreliable criterion for the differentiation of the cells of microglial from those of reticulum cell sarcomas. It is concluded that in such cases the CNS is the initial and major focus of a multicentric malignant lymphoma which has the histologic characteristics of a reticulum cell sarcoma.

Animals↗

[Adjuvant chemotherapy in the treatment of sarcomas].

For many types of cancers, adjuvant chemotherapy showed a moderate but significant benefit in terms of survival improvement. In sarcomas, the situation is contrasted and depends on the histological, molecular sub-types, as well as the topography of the tumor. Soft tissue sarcomas are in general poorly chemosensitive tumors and while adjuvant chemotherapy was found effective to delay relapses or to decrease the local relapses, it failed to yield a significant benefit with regard to overall survival. Sub-groups analysis indicate a significant lengthening of survival for the soft tissues sarcomas of the extremities. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy of the soft tissues sarcomas starts should be reserved to rhabdomyosarcomas and the bone sarcomas like the osteosarcomas and the Ewing's sarcomas of bones are more susceptible to chemotherapy, which is an integral part of the treatment with a preoperative chemotherapy and, following surgery of the primary tumor, an adjuvant chemotherapy adapted to the histological response to the neoadjuvant treatment.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

Murine sarcoma virus pseudotypes used as immunogens against viral and chemical oncogenesis.

The purpose of this study was to develop an animal system of protective immunity against oncornaviruses and to test whether such immunization had an inhibitory effect upon chemical sarcomagenesis. Several murine sarcoma virus (MSV) pseudotypes were used as immunogens and tested against themselves, against other pseudotypes, against leukemogenesis by their helper viruses, and against sarcomagenesis by 3-methylcholanthrene. Five MSV pseudotypes were obtained by rescuing complete MSV from MSV-genome carrier, nonproducer hamster tumor cells, using five different leukemia viruses as helpers. The immunogenic properties of these pseudotypes could be specified on the basis of the following observations. 1) They all induced sarcomas in newborn mice and regressing sarcoma nodules in young adult mice. After regression, most mice remained free of neoplastic disease, but some developed sarcoma or leukemia relapses. 2) They had an individual host range pattern, usually determined by the helper virus, as tested by inoculation of a constant virus dose in BALB/c, C57BL/Ka, and Swiss mice. 3) They were all immunogenic, in the sense that the first virus inoculation prevented sarcoma induction by a second challenge, either viral or cellular. 4) They were cross-reactive in vivo, one pseudotype immunizing against another, in the combinations tested. 5) They were able to immunize against leukemogenesis induced by their helper viruses. This was shown by prevention of leukemic deaths by Rauscher and Friend viruses, by a slight prolongation of survival after challenge with the Precerutti-Law leukemia virus, and by inhibition of splenomegaly by Moloney leukemia virus. In a second stage of the study, we investigated whether immunization with any of the MSV psuedotypes had an inhibitory effect upon sarcomagenesis induced by near-threshold doses of 3-methylcholanthrene. The incidence of these sarcomas was essentially the same in virus-immunized and control mice. It was concluded that immunizing procedures able to prevent sarcomagenesis when the inducer is a virus did not have any consistent preventive effect when the inducer was a chemical.

Animals↗

Characterization of human soft tissue sarcomas in nude mice. Evidence for histogenic properties of malignant fibrous histiocytomas.

Twenty-two human sarcomas were grafted subcutaneously into nude mice. Twelve tumors grew successfully. Nine of these 12 tumors had an aneuploid DNA content, whereas only 1 of 10 nonsuccessful tumors was aneuploid. The 12 sarcomas included two leiomyosarcomas, two malignant schwannomas, one synovial sarcoma, and seven malignant fibrous histiocytomas (MFHs). With light and electron microscopic and immunolabeling studies the original and xenografted tumors (the latter for at least two generations) were histopathologically compared. The xenografted leiomyosarcomas showed ultrastructurally a more pronounced leiomyodifferentiation, and one of the malignant schwannomas a more pronounced schwannian differentiation. The second malignant schwannoma and the synovial sarcoma, however, remained unchanged. Five storiform pleomorphic MFHs expressed features that were not observed in the original tumors. Tumor cells of three of these xenografted sarcomas showed leiomyogenic differentiation (filamentous densities, pinocytotic vescicles, and desmin immunoreactivity), whereas cells of the two others demonstrated schwannian differentiation (long cytoplasmic processes, basal lamina). A xenografted myxoid MFH and a pleomorphic MFH gave rise to pleomorphic sarcomas composed of undifferentiated cells. It appeared that under transplantation conditions tumor cells of storiform pleomorphic MFH can differentiate into various directions.

Animals↗

Transplantable primate tumors induced by Rous sarcoma virus. I. Induction of tumors transplantable into young marmosets.

The tumors induced in white-lipped marmosets (Saguinus fuscicollis, S. nigricollis) by Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) of chicken origin (RSV-SR) were not transplantable to allogeneic hosts. In contrast, RSV rescued from these tumors (RSV-M) induced sarcomas that were transplantable to young but not to adult marmosets. The tumors induced by RSV-M and the transplants rapidly enlarged, metastasized to various organs, and killed the recipients 29-59 days post inoculation. Cell lines were readily established from all transplantable sarcomas. No virus expression was detected in transplantable tumor cell lines by electron microscopy or by biochemical and biological assays. However, RSV of the same subgroup as RSV-SR was rescued from both short-term and long-term tumor cell cultures by cocultivation with chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF). The rescued viruses transformed marmoset cells 100-fold more efficiently than CEF cells, although CEF cells remained permissive for virus replication. Cytogenetic studies revealed extensive chromosome abnormalities in tumor transplants but not in RSV-M-induced sarcomas. All cell lines were hyperploid and contained structurally abnormal, large metacentric and telocentric chromosomes. Immunologic studies failed to detect group-specific (gs) antigen of the avian sarcoma-leukemia complex in either RSV-M-induced, transformed cells or tumor transplants. By complement-dependent cytotoxicity assays, with the use of marmoset anti-gs serum, RSV-associated antigen could be detected on the surfaces of tumor cells. No differences in the expression of this antigen existed between transplantable and nontransplantable marmoset sarcomas. All transplantable cell lines contained abnormal amounts of lipids and glycogen in comparison to RSV-SR-induced tumors and normal marmoset cell lines. The glycogen was associated with unique cytoplasmic membrane complexes and was surrounded by either single- or double-membraned vesicles.

Animals↗

Morphological and functional differentiation of Kirsten murine sarcoma virus-transformed rat adrenocortical cell lines.

This study was undertaken to examine relationships of the phenotype of malignant cells to target cell properties and to events early in the transformation process. Eighteen transformed lines were obtained by Kirsten murine sarcoma virus infection of cells from adrenal glands of rats ages 4 to 30 weeks, at first or second passages in culture. They were grown either as fibroblastic adrenocortical stem cells or as more differentiated epithelial cells, depending on culture conditions. Of 14 lines examined for their capacity to synthesize corticosteroids, 11 converted [14C]pregnenolone to progesterone, and one converted to deoxycorticosterone. In vivo, seven lines produced tumors resembling pleomorphic carcinomas, six lines grew as sarcomas, four grew as mixed tumors, and one line produced anaplastic tumors. Distinguishing features in culture of the carcinoma-producing lines were early onset and rapid progression of morphological transformation, a noncohesive epithelial cell form in some lines, lack of extracellular matrix, and, possibly, and origin in older animals. In contrast, sarcoma-producing cells were fibroblastic and cohesive, produced extracellular matrix, and transformed morphologically after longer and less well-defined periods in culture. The variation in histopathology was unrelated to the differentiation of the target cells and to the capacity of the transformed cells to synthesize corticosteroids. The results show that adrenocortical cells, transformed by Kirsten murine sarcoma virus after short-term culture, usually retain some functional differentiation and sometimes resemble human adrenocortical carcinomas histologically. The susceptibility of adrenocortical cells to Kirsten murine sarcoma virus raises the possibility that mesodermally derived epithelia in general may be target tissues for C-type sarcoma viruses.

Adrenal Cortex↗

Surgery of soft tissue sarcomas in children.

Surgery of soft tissue sarcomas in children has been modified by the introduction of multidisciplinary treatment so that major amputation and exenterations are now rare in the management of these tumors in children. Surgery must still be well planned for total removal of the tumor with preservation of limbs and, in most instances, the function of pelvic organs. The commonest soft tissue sarcomas in children are embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), fibrosarcoma, and synovial sarcoma. Treatment of embryonal RMS can now achieve a 2-year survival of 80% at all sites. Surgery and irradiation are used to control the primary tumor and multidrug chemotherapy to control metastases or prevent dissemination of localized tumor. Fibrosarcoma in children, usually a low-grade, extra-abdominal desmoid lesion, does not respond to radiation treatment or chemotherapy, and management is by surgery alone. It shows a marked tendency to local recurrence, and multiple local resections may be necessary for cure. Ninety percent of the children with this tumor can be salvaged by surgery and careful follow-up. The management of synovial sarcoma is surgical and similar to that of RMS. Although not radiosensitive as is RMS, this tumor has responded well to multidisciplinary treatment. Adequate resection is now followed by a chemotherapy protocol similar to that used in osteogenic sarcoma. The smaller numbers of these tumors and their varied natural history make evaluation of treatment difficult. Other soft tissue sarcomas seen with extreme rarity in children are liposarcoma, angiosarcoma, and neurosarcoma. These tumors are treated with the same protocol as that of RMS.

Child↗