Research
Managing soft tissue sarcomas in a developing country: are prognostic factors similar to those of developed world?
1 Orthopaedic Surgery Department, Aga Khan University Hospital, Faculty Offices opposite Community Health Centre, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi 74800, Pakistan
2 Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty Offices opposite Community Health Centre, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi 74800, Pakistan
3 Department of Radiation Oncology, Faculty Offices opposite Community Health Centre, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi 74800, Pakistan
4 Department of Surgery, Aga Khan University Hospital, Room 106, Male hostel, Karachi 74800, Pakistan
World Journal of Surgical Oncology 2012, 10:188 doi:10.1186/1477-7819-10-188
Published: 13 September 2012Abstract
Background
Managing soft tissue sarcomas (STS) in a developing country with limited financial resources and a poor health referral system is a challenge. Presenting late, these extremity STS are prone to recurrence despite apparently complete resection. This study aimed to explore and compare the impact of clinico-pathological factors on recurrence and survival in Pakistan with the corresponding figures quoted from the developed world.
Methods
An institutional review was performed on all patients with primary STS of the extremities operated on between 1994 and 2008. The prognostic influence of clinical, pathologic, and treatment variables on local recurrence free survival (LRFS), metastasis free survival (MFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed by univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis and Kaplan Meier survival curves.
Results
A total of 84 patients with a mean age of 41.8 ± 21.9 years were included in the study. The local recurrence rate was 14.3% after a median of 6 (mean 7.4) months. Metastases occurred in 7 patients (8.3%) and 65 patients were alive without evidence of disease after a mean follow-up of 52.6 ± 39.8 months. Tumor size > 5 cm, grade 3 tumors and margin < 10 mm significantly increased local recurrence rates. A margin ≥ 10 mm and age < 45 years significantly enhanced cumulative survival. Significant multivariate risk factors for metastases were margin < 10 mm and tumor grade G3.
Conclusions
Despite a poor health referral system in our country, our results are no different from those reported from the developed world. Surgical margins and tumor grade prognostically influenced LRFS, MFS and OS.
