Abstract
Synovial sarcoma (SS) is rare but increasingly diagnosed and associated with poor prognosis. Primary surgical resection with wide margins and adjuvant radiation-therapy is considered gold standard in treatment of primary SS. Although (Neo)adjuvant chemo- and radiationtherapy are used in the primary treatment of SS, they are not advocated outside a clinical trial setting. In patients with primary SS and pulmonary metastases, (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy is often added to the treatment protocol but it’s effect on overall survival seems limited.
Between 1985 and 2004 33 patients with primary SS were treated in our clinic. Seventeen patients were diagnosed with pulmonary metastases at presentation (9) or during postoperative follow-up (8). Wide resection or focally marginal resection followed by radiotherapy was used as primary treatment for all patients. All primary metastasized patients were treated with adjuvant multi-agent chemotherapy including Isofosfamide. Average survival in this group was 32 months (5 year OS 50%), compared to 60 months in the late metastasized patient-group (2 and 5 year OS 50 and 11%). Wide resection was not related to improved overall survival when compared to marginal margins and additional radiation therapy. In the early metastasized group combined chemo-radiaton therapy provided no significant improvement in overall survival over adjuvant chemotherapy or radiation therapy alone. However additional chemotherapy in the late metastasized group was slightly associated with increased overall survival (5 year OS 0% vs 66%).
Treatment of early pulmonary metastasized SS remains highly dependent of the individual preference of patient and physician. In contrast to the reported prolonged disease free/overall survival of Enneking stage IIA and IIB SS patients, aggressive surgical and chemo-radiation therapy has not yet been associated with improvement of disease free/overall survival in stage III disease. Patients presenting with late pulmonary metastasis might benefit from adjuvant multi-agent chemotherapy treatment.
Correspondence should be addressed to Professor Stefan Bielack, Olgahospital, Klinikum Stuttgart, Bismarkstrasse 8, D-70176 Stuttgart, Germany. Email: s.bielack@klinikum_stuttgart.de