Fatores prognósticos para o desenvolvimento de metástases nos sarcomas de tecidos moles / Prognosis factors in the development of metastases in soft tissue sarcomas

OBJETIVO: Determinar os fatores prognósticos relacionados com o desenvolvimento de metástases a distância nos pacientes com diagnóstico de sarcoma de tecidos moles (STM) em extremidades. MÉTODOS: Foram avaliados 30 pacientes tratados por ressecção cirúrgica de STM, com seguimento médio de 36,5 ± 12,2 meses, utilizando como fatores prognósticos: idade, sexo, localização, profundidade, localização em compartimentos anatômicos, tamanho, manipulação prévia ao tratamento definitivo, margens cirúrgicas, grau de malignidade histológica, presença de necrose e invasão vascular à histologia. Esses fatores foram correlacionados com o desenvolvimento de metástases por análise univariada e multivariada, sendo considerados significativos valores de p < 0,05. RESULTADOS: Na análise univariada houve correlação do desenvolvimento de metástases com a localização extracompartimental (p = 0,002), com o tamanho > 10cm (p = 0,007), com o alto grau de malignidade (p = 0,007), com a presença de necrose (p = 0,002) e com a presença de invasão vascular (p = 0,034). A idade (p = 1,000), o sexo (0,709), a localização em segmentos corporais (p = 0,298), a profundidade (p = 0,288), a margem cirúrgica (p = 0,419) e a manipulação prévia do tumor (p = 1,000) não apresentaram correlação com a ocorrência de metástases a distância. Na análise multivariada apenas a localização extracompartimental (p = 0,008), o tamanho (p = 0,018) e a presença de invasão vascular (p = 0,043) foram significativos. CONCLUSÃO: O desenvolvimento de metástases a distância nos pacientes com sarcoma de tecidos moles depende da localização extracompartimental, do tamanho (> 10cm), do alto grau de malignidade histológica, da presença de necrose e da invasão vascular à histologia.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prognostic factors related to the development of remote metastases in patients with the diagnosis of soft tissue sarcoma (STS) in the extremities. METHODS: 30 patients treated with surgical resection of STS with a mean follow-up of 36.5 ± 12.2 months were evaluated using the following prognosis factors: age, gender, location, depth, location in anatomic compartments, size, handling before final treatment, surgical borders, degree of histological malignancy, presence of necrosis, and histologically-verified vascular invasion. Such factors were correlated to the development of metastases by univariate analysis, values of p < 0.05 being considered significant. RESULTS: The univariate analysis showed a correlation of the development of metastases and the extra-compartmental location (p = 0.002), size > 10 cm (p = 0.007), the high degree of malignancy (p = 0.007), the presence of necrosis (p = 0.002) and the presence of vascular invasion (p = 0.034). Age (p = 1.000), gender (0.709), location in body segments (p = 0.298), depth (p = 0,288), surgical border (p = 0.419), and prior handling of the tumor (p = 1.000) did not show a correlation with the occurrence of remote metastases. In the multivariate analysis, only the extra-compartmental location (p = 0.008), size (p = 0.018), and the presence of vascular invasion (p = 0.043) were significant. CONCLUSION: The development of remote metastases in patients with soft tissue sarcoma depends on the extra-compartmental location, on the size (> 10 cm), on the high degree of malignancy seen in histology, on the presence of necrosis, and on vascular invasion seen in histology.

Influência da manipulação prévia no tratamento e na recidiva local dos sarcomas de tecidos moles / Influence of previous manipulation in the treatment and local relapse of soft tissue sarcomas

OBJETIVO: Avaliar os efeitos da manipulação prévia no tratamento ci rúrgico e na recidiva local dos sarcomas de tecidos moles. MÉTODO: Foram avaliados 30 pacientes submetidos a tratamento cirúrgico de um sarcoma de tecidos moles (STM), que foram divididos em dois grupos: pacientes que foram submetidos a uma biópsia ou ressecção inadvertida prévia do tumor e os encaminhados para tratamento sem qualquer procedimento prévio. Os grupos foram comparados de acordo com o tipo de cirurgia realizada, as complicações e a ocorrência de recidiva local. RESULTADOS: A manipulação prévia dos STM foi observada em 60 por cento da casuística, alterando a técnica operatória em 66,6 por cento dos casos. A freqüência de amputações foi semelhante nos dois grupos, mas três amputações foram realizadas por ressecção prévia inadequada. As complicações não foram significativamente diferentes nos grupos (p = 0,282), assim como a recidiva local (p = 0,461). CONCLUSÕES: A manipulação prévia dos STM influenciou no tratamento cirúrgico, mas não influenciou nas complicações pós-operatórias ou na recidiva local.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the influence of previous manipulation in the treatment and local relapse of soft tissue sarcomas. METHODS: We evaluated 30 patients submitted to soft-tissue sarcoma (STS) surgery. These patients were divided into two groups: patients with previous unplanned resection of the tumor, and patients referred to a specialized center without any previous surgical treatment. We compared the two groups by the type of surgical treatment, complications and local relapse. RESULTS: Previous manipulation of the STS was seen in 60 percent of the patients on the series, changing the surgical technique in 66.6 percent of the cases. The amputation rate was similar between both groups, but three patients were amputated as a result of inappropriate previous resection. Complications were not significantly different between the groups (p = 0.282), as well as for local relapse (p = 0.461). CONCLUSION: The previous manipulation of soft tissue sarcomas influenced the surgical treatment, but neither influenced post-operative complications nor local relapse.

Quantitative analysis of cardiac lesions in chronic canine chagasic cardiomyopathy

Lesions observed in chronic chagasic cardiopathy frequently produce electrocardiographic alterations and affect cardiac function. Through a computerized morphometrical analysis we quantified the areas occupied by cardiac muscle, connective and adipose tissues in the right atrium of dogs experimentally infected with Trypanosoma cruzi. All of the infected dogs showed chronic myocarditis with variable reduction levels of cardiac muscle, fibrosis and adipose tissue replacement. In the atrial myocardium of dogs infected with Be78 and Be62 cardiac muscle represented 34 and 50 percent, fibrosis 28 and 32 percent and adipose tissue 38 and 18 percent, respectively. The fibrosis observed was both diffuse and focal and mostly intrafascicular, either partially or completely interrupting the path of muscle bundles. Such histological alterations probably contributed to the appearance of electrocardiographic disturbances verified in 10 out 11 dogs which are also common in human chronic chagasic cardiopathy. Fibrosis was the most important microscopic occurrence found since it produces rearrangements of collagen fibers in relation to myocardiocytes which causes changes in anatomical physiognomy and mechanical behavior of the myocardium. These abnormalities can contribute to the appearance of cardiac malfunction, arrythmias and congestive cardiac insufficiency as observed in two of the analyzed dogs. Strain Be78 caused destruction of atrial cardiac muscle higher than that induced by strain Be62