Contemporary reappraisal of the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy in resected retroperitoneal sarcoma: Evidence from a nationwide clinical oncology database and review of the literature

Abstract Background While margin-negative resection remains the cornerstone of therapy for retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS), the impact of adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) on overall survival (OS) remains poorly understood. Methods The National Cancer Data Base was queried for patients undergoing curative-intent resection of primary non-metastatic RPS (2004–2013). Multivariable modeling identified factors associated with AC receipt. Cox regression identified covariates associated with OS, and AC and surgery alone (SA) cohorts were matched 1:1 by propensity scores based on these covariates. In the propensity-score matched cohort, OS was compared by Kaplan-Meier estimates. Results from this analysis were presented in the context of a review of the existing literature on the impact of AC in resected RPS. Results Of 3892 resected RPS patients, 90.0% and 10.0% received SA and AC, respectively. Predictors of AC receipt included younger age, non-Caucasian race, hospital location, histologic grade, adjacent organ invasion, and histologic subtype. The propensity score-matched cohort comprised 767 patients (SA n = 377; AC n = 390); at a median follow-up of 59.2 (IQR 35.0–85.3) months, median OS of the propensity-matched cohort was 53.6 (IQR 22.4–119.5) months. Utilization of AC was associated with significantly worse long-term survival (median OS: 47.8 vs. 68.9 months, p = 0.017; HR 1.30, 95% CI 1.05–1.61). AC was not associated with improved OS in margin-positive (R1/R2) resection, high-grade (G2/G3) and larger (>10 cm) tumors, or in any histologic subtype. Albeit not statistically significant, there was a trend toward improved OS with AC in spindle cell (HR 0.37, 95% CI 0.10–1.38), giant cell (HR 0.82, 95% CI 0.32–2.13), and synovial (HR 0.26, 95% CI 0.05–1.33) sarcoma. Conclusions Data from a large nationwide oncology database and review of the existing literature do not support adjuvant chemotherapy regimens following curative-intent resection of RPS, even in subgroups at high risk of failure (e.g., R1/R2 resection, high-grade or large tumors). The possible benefit of conventional adjuvant regimens in spindle cell, giant cell, and synovial sarcoma should be explored in prospective studies.