Clinical Outcomes of Soft Tissue Sarcoma around the Elbow Joint: A Retrospective Single Institution Study

BACKGROUND: We report a retrospective case series analysis of clinical outcomes of patients with soft tissue sarcoma around the elbow. METHODS: Twenty-two patients underwent surgical tumor excision between January 1999 and May 2017, with a mean follow-up of 85.2 months. RESULTS: Six tumors were localized in the upper arm, nine in the elbow, and seven in the forearm. Sixteen tumors were deep-seated, and six were superficially located. Fifteen patients underwent wide excision, including one amputation, and 18 achieved (81.8%) negative margins histologically. Two local recurrences and four distant metastases developed. The mean Musculoskeletal Tumor Society score was 92.0% (range, 33.3–100). The 5-year local recurrence-free survival rate, metastasis-free survival rate, and overall survival rate were 90.0%, 77.0%, and 79.7%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Local control and limb function can have favorable outcomes when the tumor excised has a histologically negative margin without sacrificing the major structure.