Published in:
01-12-2018 | ASO Author Reflections
ASO Author Reflections: Location-Specific Staging in Sarcoma—A Step in the Right Direction
Authors:
Sarah B. Fisher, MD, MS, Christina L. Roland, MD, MS
Published in:
Annals of Surgical Oncology
|
Special Issue 3/2018
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Excerpt
A staging system that accurately categorizes groups of patients, communicates specific information about pertinent factors, and prognosticates outcomes is a critical component of cancer care.
1 Given the diversity of location and > 70 histologic subtypes, soft tissue sarcoma (STS) represents a problematic area of cancer staging. Since its inception in 1992 until recently, with the introduction of the 8th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system, staging for STS combined tumors from all anatomic sites spanning all histologies. Wide variation in tumor size makes establishing a meaningful tumor (T) stage system difficult. The node (N) category is less meaningful for most STSs as lymph node metastases are rare.
2 In addition to the standard T, N, and metastasis (M) categories, sarcoma staging incorporates grade (G). However, the presence of multiple different grading schemas, as well as changes in terminology over time, contribute to an already heterogeneous system, making STS staging particularly difficult. …
