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Options for treating different soft tissue sarcoma subtypes

    Isabelle Ray-Coquard

    GINECO/TMRO and NETSARC Network, Center Léon Bérard & Université Claude Bernard, Lyon, France

    ,
    Delphine Serre

    GINECO/TMRO and NETSARC Network, Center Léon Bérard & Université Claude Bernard, Lyon, France

    ,
    Peter Reichardt

    Department of Oncology, Helios Klinikum Berlin-Buch, Schwanebecker Chaussee 50, 13125, Berlin, Germany

    ,
    Javier Martín-Broto

    *Author for correspondence:

    E-mail Address: jmartin@mustbesevilla.org

    Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Virgen del Rocio & Instituto Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBIS), Sevilla, Spain

    &
    Sebastian Bauer

    Department of Medical Oncology, Sarcoma Center, West German Cancer Center, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany

    Published Online:https://doi.org/10.2217/fon-2018-0076

    Management of soft tissue sarcoma is increasingly subtype-dependent. Surgery is recommended for uterine leiomyosarcoma, with trabectedin being the preferred option for advanced disease when the treatment goal is long-term tumor stabilization. Liposarcoma subgroups are characterized by distinctive morphologies and genetics, different patterns of disease progression and clinical behavior, and variable responses to treatment. Genetic analysis of sarcomas has provided insights into pathogenesis with potential for developing new molecular targets. At the cytogenetic level, soft tissue sarcomas are categorized into specific, balanced translocations and those due to massive chromosomal rearrangements. For subtypes such as undifferentiated sarcomas, angiosarcomas, alveolar soft part sarcomas and clear cell sarcomas, evidence is especially limited, although it is known that these tumors display markedly different sensitivities to chemotherapeutic and targeted agents.

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