SOFT-TISSUE SARCOMAS OF THE HEAD AND NECK - EXPERIENCE OF THE ENT DEPARTMENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF VIENNA

Background: Soft-tissue sarcomas of the head and neck are rare. Local recurrence is common, and wide excision is thought to be the mainstay of treatment. Surgical radicality is limited by the vicinity of vital organs. Improvement of cure rates therefore is expected mainly from co mbined treatment modalities. Method: Retrospective analysis of 32 case s of soft-tissue sarcoma on file at the Department of Otorhinolaryngol ogy of the University of Vienna between 1954 and 1994. Results: The mo st frequent descriptive histological diagnosis was polymorphic cell sa rcoma in 11 cases. An immunohistological verification was possible in seven cases. The larynx and the pharynx (16 percent each) were the mos t common sites of affection. Incidence peaks were noted in the third a nd seventh decade of age. Treatment during the 1950s consisted of surg ery and/or irridiation and was supplemented from the 1960s on by polyc hemotherapy. The median survival was 29 months. Three patients are ali ve, two patients died free of disease and six patients were lost to fo llowup. Conclusion: Permanent cure was rare but each therapeutic regim en seemed to provide prolongation of life. The most important prognost ic factors were tumor size, histologic grade, and surgical margins.