Soft-tissue sarcoma of the thigh - Surgical margin influences local recurrence but not survival in 152 patients

Between 1979 and 1998, 152 patients with a soft-tissue sarcoma arising in the thigh were surgically treated in the Sarcoma Center in Aarhus, Denmark. We studied clinicopathologic factors prognostic for local recurrence and survival. 27 patients (18%) had a low-grade tumor, 26 (17%) an intermediate-grade and 99 (65%) a high-grade tumor. 27 patients 118%) mere amputated and (25 (82%) had a local resection. 21 (14%) underwent a marginal resection, 82 (54%) a wide resection and 49 (32%) a compartmental resection, 32 patients were also given radiotherapy, II of these had a marginal resection, The 5-year local recurrence-free rate mas 91% Multivariate analysis selected marginal resection and histological high grade as unfavorable prognostic factors for local recurrence. The 5-year survival rate was 68%. High age and histological high grade were unfavorable prognostic factors for survival in a multivariate analysis. Surgical margin influenced local recurrence, but not the overall survival.