Sarcomas de partes blandas. Análisis de 42 casos

The aim of this study is to evaluate the long-term prognosis of a series of patients treated in our hospital with regard to various clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic factors. A total of 123 patients who had been treated for malignant soft tissue tumours between 1979 and 1999 were reviewed. Of these, only 42 fulfilled the requirements to be included in our study. The outcome was evaluated taking into account prognostic variables identified in previously published studies and our own experience, and a statistical study of these factors as carried out with the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis method. The total survival time for all the cases studied was 33+8 (median + SE) months with a 95% confidence interval of 17.49 months. The time free of illness was 9+2 (median + SE) months with a 95% confidence interval of 6.12 months. The time-period until metastasis appeared was 26+5 (median + SE) months with a 95% confidence interval of 17.35 months. At the same time, the bivariant analysis of the many prognostic variables was performed. The high number of variables and the dispersion of the sample group suggest that it would be advisable to carry out more prospective, multicentric studies to reach definitive conclusions about this type of tumour.