[Epidemiology and Outcomes of Soft Tissue Sarcomas: Insights from a Decade of Head and Neck Surgery at Sótero del Río Hospital, Santiago, Chile]. / Sarcomas de partes blandas: Análisis de la experiencia de diez años del equipo de cirugía de cabeza y cuello en el Hospital Sótero del Río.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) are rare malignant tumors of mesenchymal origin. They are associated with genetic and environmental risk factors. Their clinical manifestations are nonspecific, requiring a high level of suspicion. The first-line treatment is surgical. Positive margins are the only independent predictor of local recurrence and worse survival rates. Strict follow-up is recommended due to its high recurrence rate. AIM: Analyze the casuistry of STS treated with curative intent by the head and neck surgery team at the Sótero del Río Hospital (HSR) at Santiago, Chile between 2013 and 2023. METHODS: A retrospective, descriptive study of patients with STS managed by the HSR head and neck surgery team. Clinical presentation, diagnostic and therapeutic tools, and oncological results are analyzed. RESULTS: 26 patients were included, 84.6% female, with an average age of 61.7 years. Only 30.8% presented identifiable risk factors. The most common histology was undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (26.9%), and the predominant location was extremities (46.2%). 77.8% of head and neck sarcomas and 58.8% of trunk and extremity sarcomas occurred in advanced stages. Disease-free survival was 66.6%; 68.2% in patients with negative surgical margins, and 60.0% in positive margins at five years. CONCLUSIONS: STS is an infrequent pathology. This study corresponds to the first retrospective research on STS in Chile. We require establishing a specialized multidisciplinary team to optimize the management and follow-up of STS patients.