Compartment-specific Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Soft Tissue Sarcomas of the Thigh

Background/Aim: The thigh is divided into the anterior, medial, and posterior compartments, and malignant soft tissue tumours can occur in any compartment of the thigh. This study analysed the relationship between various factors, particularly tumour location and clinical outcome, in patients with primary soft tissue sarcoma of the thigh. Patients and Methods: Seventy-four patients were included in this retrospective study. The relationships between variables and prognosis were statistically analysed. Results: Multivariate analysis of the patient clinical data demonstrated that seromas developed more often in the medial compartment tumours and postoperative complications excluding seroma occurred more frequently in patients with two or more muscles resected or stage III tumours. A low Musculoskeletal Tumor Society score was associated with a long operative time (more than 120 min), anterior compartment tumours, and more than two muscle resections. In addition, soft tissue sarcomas in the medial compartment and stage III sarcomas were associated with a low 5-year metastasis-free survival. Conclusion: Soft tissue sarcomas in the medial compartment were associated with postoperative seroma and metastasis, whereas sarcomas in the anterior compartment correlated with low postoperative function.