Is radiotherapy important for low-grade soft tissue sarcoma of the extremity?

Radiotherapy and limb-preserving surgery has replaced amputation and compar tmental resection for treatment of soft tissue sarcomas, However, the role of radiotherapy in low-grade tumors remains unclear. This study reviews the outcomes of 132 patients who received multimodality treatment for Low-grad e soft tissue sarcoma, Large primary tumors (> 5 cm) and the absence of rad iotherapy correlated with local recurrence. Radiotherapy was most effective in patients operated on with marginal margins. patients who were treated w ith wide surgical margins or had small tumors (less than or equal to5 cm) s howed no benefit with adjuvant radiotherapy. Size greater than 5 cm and loc al recurrence correlated with metastasis. Radiotherapy appears to be import ant in the management of low-grade soft tissue sarcoma, The principles of l ocal treatment for low-grade soft tissue sarcoma should be the same as for high-grade tumors with a combination of surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy. In a subset of patients with small and widely excised tumors, consideration may be given to withholding radiotherapy. Local recurrence and metastasis from low-grade soft tissue sarcoma may occur as long as 1 decade after prim ary tumor resection, Long-term review of patients with low-grade tumors may be indicated.