Soft Tissue Sarcoma; Management and Treatment Outcome in a Tertiary Health Institution in Northern Nigeria

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U. M. Aliyu* and I. H. B. B. E. C. O. Charles Oluchukwu Okwonna, “Soft Tissue Sarcoma; Management and Treatment Outcome in a Tertiary Health Institution in Northern Nigeria”, ijmhs, vol. 8, no. 5, pp. 41–51, May 2018.
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Abstract

Soft tissue sarcoma constitutes 7% of all cancers in Nigeria. A complete staging of this tumour is
important to evaluate the prognosis and plan the treatment in a multidisciplinary team. Management
of sarcoma includes surgery, which involve partial or complete excision of the tumour mass. Surgery
is the primary treatment modality for soft tissue sarcoma. Radiotherapy is useful in both localized
and metastatic disease. Reports have shown the benefit of radiation therapy in decreasing recurrence
rate in positive margin post excision. It is also useful for palliation of some symptoms. Chemotherapy
has been shown to improve the survival of patients. Doxorubicin and Ifosfamide have shown better
response in patients with these malignancies. The outcome of patients with soft tissue sarcoma depends
on the margins’ status post excision, performance status, grade, and stage of the disease.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
It is a five year retrospective study of patients with soft tissue sarcoma seen in the department
of radiotherapy and Oncology, Usmanu Danfodiyo University teaching hospital. The treatment and
overall survival at one year post diagnosis were reviewed with associating compounding variable.
RESULTS
A total of 123 patients were reviewed, out of which 69.9% of the patients had radiotherapy, and 64%
of the patients who had radiotherapy received palliative dose. The commonest chemotherapy used
was vincristine, which was used in 82% of the patients who had chemotherapy, while 76% received
doxorubicin and 10% had ifosfamide.
The overall survival at one year was assessed in 112 patients. There was no significant difference
between their age, gender, histological type and their survival at one year, however there was an
association between the performance status (ECOG) and surgical excision status.
CONCLUSION
The outcome of patients with soft tissue sarcoma after diagnosis is determined by the performance
status and the surgical excision margin. This will ultimately guide treatment of these groups of
malignancies.

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