Radiotherapy of soft tissue sarcomas with neutrons or a neutron boost

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Abstract
A cooperative trial of neutron therapy for soft tissue sarcomas was started in 1978. Unselected and not previously irradiated patients (112) (62% T3 tumors, 35% recurrent tumors) were treated up to June 1982 with neutrons alone. An analysis of these cases with a mean follow-up period of 22 mo. (range 12-45 mo.) is given in this report. Very preliminary results are presented for 60 patients treated with a neutron boost only. These showed a substantially lower complication rate. The survival rate at 3.5 yr was strongly dependent on the stage of the tumor; for 8 patients with T1 tumors it was 100%, for 35 patients with T2 tumors, 77%, and for 69 patients with T3 tumors, 45%. The survival rate at 3.5 yr was strongly dependent on surgery before the beginning of radiotherapy; for 54 patients after surgery without clinical evidence of residual tumor it was 73%, for 58 patients with inoperable primary or recurrent tumor, 47%. The survival rate of 31 patients with recurrence after neutron therapy was only 36%. The overall rate of serious complications was 28.6% after neutron therapy, but only 5% after neutron boost therapy (mean follow-up period: 12 mo., range 5-48 mo.).