Lymph node metastases in paediatric and young adult patients with non-rhabdomyosarcoma soft tissue sarcoma (NRSTS): Findings from Children?s Oncology Group (COG) study ARST0332

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to better define the clinical features and outcomes of young patients with non-rhabdomyosarcoma soft tissue sarcoma (NRSTS) with regional and distant lymph node (LN) metastases treated in a standardised fashion, we analysed LN involvement in COG study ARST0332, which evaluated a risk-based treatment strategy for young patients with all stages of NRSTS.Patients and methods: Patients <30 years old with newly diagnosed NRSTS and LN metasta-ses enrolled on ARST0332 were studied. Regional LN sampling was required for those with epithelioid sarcoma, clear cell sarcoma or clinically/radiographically enlarged LNs. Tumour features and extent of pre-enrolment resection determined treatment, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and delayed surgery. Recommendations for LN metastases included LN dissec-tion at the time of primary tumour resection and dose-adapted radiotherapy based on extent of LN resection.Results: Twenty of 529 eligible and evaluable ARST0332 patients with NRSTS had LN me-tastases; epithelioid sarcoma had the highest incidence (18%, 5 of 28). Pre-treatment imaging identified LN enlargement in 19 of 20 patients; 1 had no pre-treatment LN imaging. At 6.9 years median follow-up for surviving patients, 5-year overall survival was 85.7% (95% CI: 33.4%, 97.9%) for seven patients with isolated LN metastases and 15.4% (95% CI: 2.5%, 38.8%) for 13 patients with additional extranodal metastases. LN recurrence occurred in only one patient without LNs sampled at initial diagnosis.Conclusion: LN metastases occur in about 4% of paediatric/young adult NRSTS, are limited to a few histologic subtypes, and are rare in patients who did not have clinical or imaging ev-idence of lymphadenopathy, suggesting that biopsies of non-enlarged LNs are not necessary to identify occult involvement. Patients with isolated LN metastases have high 5-year overall sur-vival (w85%) and should be treated with curative intent.Clinicaltrials.gov Registry No.: NCT00346164. 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The aim of this study is to define the clinical features and outcomes of young patients with NRSTS with LN metastases. LN metastases occur in about 4% of paediatric/young adult NRSTS patients, are limited to a few histologic subtypes, and are rare in patients without clinical or imaging evidence of lymphadenopathy. Therefore, biopsies of non-enlarged LNs are not necessary to identify occult involvement.