[Significance of radiotherapy for the treatment of primary bone and soft tissue sarcomas]

Recent data from the literature as well as our own treatment results of soft tissue sarcomas and primary bone tumours with the exception of osteosarcomas indicate, that: 1. A conservative, limb sparing therapy should be attempted in peripheral bone tumours and soft tissue sarcomas. This may be achieved in 85% to 97%. 2. The recurrence rate is in a range of 3% to 22%, which does not exceed the results of ablative surgery. 80% of possible recurrences can be controlled by consecutive surgery. 3. After the development of improved treatment techniques, the complication rate is less than 10%. 4. Conservative limb sparing treatment does not decrease the survival rate. However, these results are not derived from randomised studies. 5. Apart from osteosarcomas and Ewing sarcomas adjuvant chemotherapy is recommended for G3 tumours. The time interval for evidence of metastases may be doubled by this treatment modality. 6. There is some evidence that neutron-boost therapy may improve local control rates in T2 and T3 soft tissue sarcomas.