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Background and Objectives. It is unclear whether the quantitative width of the surgical margin influences outcomes in patients with extremity and truncal soft tissue sarcoma (STS) treated with radiotherapy (RT). Methods. We performed a retrospective review of 382 patients with localized extremity or truncal STS who underwent limb-sparing surgery and RT from 1983 to 2010, and we analyzed the significance of resection margin status and quantitative margin width on outcomes. Results. Surgical margins were positive in 68 (18%) patients and negative in 314 (82%) patients. For those patients with a reported quantitative margin width (n = 235), the width of the negative margin was ≤1 mm (n = 128), >1 mm and ≤5 mm (n = 79),and >5 mm (n = 28). At a median follow-up of 82 months, the local recurrence rates were 5.4% and 11.8% for margin-negative and margin-positive patients, respectively. There were no differences in the rates of local or distant recurrence nor of any survival outcome based on the quantitative width of the surgical margin, provided that it was negative. Conclusions. In patients undergoing RT and limb-sparing surgery for STS, achieving a negative margin is essential for optimizing both local control and survival. However, the absolute quantitative width of the negative margin does not significantly influence outcome, and so attempts at wide margins of resection appear to be unnecessary. Importantly, the conclusions drawn from this study must not be applied to those patients undergoing surgery alone as the local treatment of their STS, in which case wider margins of resection may be necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives. Atypical lipomas are uncommon, slow-growing benign tumors. While surgery has been the primary treatment modality, we have managed some patients with radiation (RT) as a component of the treatment and have reported their outcomes in this study. Methods. A retrospective review of all cases of extremity and trunk atypical lipomas in The Sarcoma Database at the study institution was conducted. Results. Thirteen patients were identified. All patients underwent surgical resection at initial presentation and received pre- or postoperative radiation for subtotal resection (2 = 2), local recurrence (n = 8), or progressive disease (n = 3). The median total radiation dose was 50 Gy. Median followup was 65.1 months. All patients treated with RT remained free of disease at the last followup. No grade 3 or higher late toxicity from radiation was observed. No cases of tumor dedifferentiation occurred. Conclusion. For recurrent or residual atypical lipomas, a combination of reexcision and RT can provide long-term local control with acceptable morbidity. For recurrent tumors, pre-op RT of 50 Gy appears to be an effective and well-tolerated management approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the case study of a 10-week-old boy with Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy. The boy was evaluated at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts because of progressive swelling in the region of the right side of the upper lip of two weeks' duration. The boy had been born at full term and had no perinatal problems. On physical examination, the infant appeared well, and there was no craniofacial dysmorphism. There was firm, nontender swelling of the subcutaneous tissue of the right side of the upper lip and of the malar region adjacent to the right nasal ala, with minimal bluish-black discoloration. A diagnostic procedure was performed by Mark S. Volk, Hugh D. Curtin and Michael J. Cunningham.