ASTRO Issues Guideline on RT for Soft Tissue Sarcoma in Adults

FRIDAY, Aug. 13, 2021 (HealthDay News) — In a new clinical practice guideline from the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), published online July 25 in Practical Radiation Oncology, evidence-based recommendations are presented for the use of radiation therapy (RT) for soft tissue sarcoma (STS) in adults.

Kilian E. Salerno, M.D., from the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, and colleagues addressed five questions relating to the use of RT for management of STS. These questions included considerations for sequencing of RT with respect to surgery and the role of RT in management of retroperitoneal sarcoma.

The researchers note that for all cases of STS, multidisciplinary evaluation and decision-making are recommended. For patients in whom there is an increased risk for local recurrence of resected STS, RT is recommended, especially if close or microscopically positive margins are anticipated or have occurred. Preoperative RT is strongly recommended over postoperative RT when RT is indicated. Routine RT use in addition to oncologic resection is conditionally not recommended for primary localized retroperitoneal sarcoma. When RT is used for select cases of retroperitoneal sarcoma, preoperative, but not postoperative, RT is recommended.

“This guideline stresses the importance of multidisciplinary input prior to initiation of treatment and provides detailed recommendations on indications for radiation therapy, dose, and planning techniques,” Salerno said in a statement. “ASTRO developed this guideline to provide clear guidance on the role of radiation therapy in patient-centered, multidisciplinary oncologic care.”

Several authors disclosed financial ties to the biopharmaceutical, medical device, and publishing industries.

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