Reexcision of Soft Tissue Sarcoma: Sufficient Local Control but Increased Rate of Metastasis

Background Assuming a benign tumor, soft tissue sarcomas are often treated by inadequate resection. The concept of reexcision in these patients is still under debate. Therefore, it was our goal to evaluate the results of this treatment with particular respect to residual tumor. Methods During a 14-year period, a total of 143 patients were referred to our institution after unplanned excision. Reexcision was performed in 139 patients. The assessed endpoints were local recurrence-free survival, distant metastasis-free survival, and tumor-related mortality. Uni-variate and multivariate analyses were performed using a log-rank test and Cox's proportional-hazard models. Results Over a median observation period of 109 months, local recurrence appeared in 18 patients (12%) and distant metastasis in 46 patients (33%). Residual tumor was detected in 43 patients (31%) and was significantly associated with reduced relapse-free and overall survival. Local recurrence, however, was not affected. Conclusions Despite an incomplete initial resection, reexcision enables local control similar to that in patients without residual tumor. Still, these patients have a worse prognosis owing to an increased rate of distant metastasis; therefore, patients with soft tissue masses of unknown identity should be transferred to centers that specialize in treating sarcomas for adequate initial resection.