Histology-driven therapy for soft-tissue sarcomas

Abstract

Soft-tissue sarcomas (STS) are a group of rare and heterogeneous mesenchymal tumours that can arise anywhere in the body. The aim of treatment in patients with advanced or metastatic STS is palliative and prognosis remains poor. Surgery remains the mainstay of treatment for localised disease, along with radiotherapy and chemotherapy has been traditionally reserved for metastatic disease, although it also has a role in the neoadjuvant and adjuvant setting. Several drugs have been investigated as second- or further-line therapy, with evidence of variable sensitivity across histological subtypes. As a result, the treatment scenario for STS is becoming more varied and the clinical decision on the best treatment options in the individual is usually driven by histology. In rare cancers such as STS, this tendency towards the use of histotype-tailored therapies will require further cooperation on a global scale as well as continuous research for methodological innovations in clinical research.