INFLUENCE OF LOCAL RECURRENCE ON THE PROGNOSIS OF SOFT-TISSUE SARCOMAS

We have investigated the significance of local recurrence on survival in 173 patients with localised soft-tissue sarcomas of the limbs and o f the trunk. The overall survival rates at five and ten years were 75. 2% and 68.0%, respectively, After definitive surgery at our hospitals, there was local recurrence in 25 patients (14.5%), After inadequate o perations elsewhere, there was a higher incidence of late local recurr ence (28.3%), in comparison with those with primary tumours treated by us (9.0%), or patients referred to us immediately after inadequate su rgery elsewhere (10.2%), Because of small numbers these differences in the survival rates were not statistically significantly different. Un ivariate survival analysis showed that local recurrence after definiti ve surgery (p = 0.006) together with the histological grade (p = 0.000 2), the size of the tumour (p = 0.002), its depth in relation to deep fascia (p = 0.003), and the surgical margin (p = 0.0001) were the sign ificant prognostic factors, Local recurrence at the initial presentati on did not affect survival, Multivariate analysis showed that local re currence after definitive surgery also lost its apparent prognostic si gnificance.