Soft Tissue Sarcoma: Experience in a Tertiary Referral Center

Introduction This retrospective study investigates the clinical features, survival outcomes, and treatment-related results of patients with soft tissue sarcoma (STS) at a tertiary referral center in India. STSs are rare malignant tumors comprising over 50 subtypes, representing approximately 1% of adult and 15% of pediatric neoplasms. Materials and Methods We reviewed 91 patients with STS diagnosed in the Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Center, India, from 2020 to 2023. Data were collected on demographics, disease characteristics, and treatment outcomes. Statistical analyses were performed with survival rates estimated via the Kaplan–Meier method. Prognostic factors were evaluated through univariate and multivariate analyses using log-rank and Cox regression models. Results The study cohort included slightly more males (64.8%) than females, with 51.6% of patients under 50 years. Most tumors were over 5 cm (70.3%) and classified as Fédération Nationale des Centres de Lutte Contre le Cancer (FNCLCC) grade 3 (62.6%). Local recurrence occurred in 7.7% of cases, and distant recurrence occurred in 24.2%. The 3-year overall survival rate was 60.5%, with a 3-year disease-free survival rate of 58%. Significant prognostic factors for better outcomes included smaller tumor size (≤5 cm), margin status (≥1 cm), lower necrosis, lower intraoperative blood loss (<100 ml), and administration of adjuvant chemotherapy. Multivariate analysis showed only intraoperative blood loss to be significant. Conclusion This study highlights the necessity of multidisciplinary care in STS management. Achieving wide surgical margins with minimal blood loss followed by multimodality treatment is crucial. Future prospective trials with larger, diverse cohorts are essential to validate these findings and optimize STS treatment strategies.