Dr. Blay on Treatment Considerations in Soft Tissue Sarcomas

Jean-Yves Blay, MD, professor of Medicine, Université Claude Bernard, scientific director, Canceropole Lyon Rhône Alpes, vice chairman, EORTC Translational Research Advisory Committee, member, the Protocol Review Committee of EORTC, chairman, the Soft Tissue and Bone Sarcoma group of EORTC, the French Sarcoma Group, discusses treatment considerations in patients with soft tissue sarcomas.

Neoadjuvant plus adjuvant treatment is recommended for a small fraction of patients with specific characteristics in soft tissue sarcomas, Blay says. However, debates are ongoing about which patients could most benefit from neoadjuvant treatment, Blay adds. For example, patients with large grade 2 and 3 tumors may benefit from neoadjuvant therapy, which typically consists of doxorubicin plus ifosfamide (Ifex), Blay explains.

In the first-line setting for metastatic or relapsed disease, doxorubicin-based therapy is also recommended, Blay continues. Doxorubicin plus dacarbazine can be used for patients with leiomyosarcoma due increased response rates, progression-free survival rates, and overall survival, Blay explains. However, these benefits need to be tested in a randomized clinical trial, Blay concludes.