OBJECTIVES: To describe the treatment patterns of patients with advanced soft-tissue sarcomas who received chemotherapy or radiotherapy in Argentina.

METHODS: Patients with advanced soft-tissue sarcoma (locally advanced, inoperable, or metastatic disease) who received chemotherapy or radiotherapy from 2013-2018 were selected from the Instituto de Especialidades Médicas S.A. (IEMSA) clinical database, which collects the information of several insurance providers (Social Security System and Health Maintenance Organizations). Cases with osteosarcoma, Kaposi’s Sarcoma and gastrointestinal stromal tumors were excluded.

RESULTS: A total of 99 patients were analysed. There was a high variability in histological type, with leiomyosarcoma (N=17; 17%), pleomorphic sarcoma (N=12; 12%), liposarcoma (N=10; 10%), and rhabdomyosarcoma (N=10; 10%) being the most frequent. The most frequent locations were leg (33%), abdomen (16%), and arm (14%). At the time of diagnosis, 46% of the cases were localized, 26% were loco-regionally advanced and 27% were metastatic. Of the 99 patients, 50.5% received adjuvant/neoadjuvant therapy, and of them, 50% received only chemotherapy, 30% received only adjuvant/neoadjuvant radiotherapy, and 20% received both therapies. There were 86 patients who received first-line therapy for metastatic disease. Seventy-nine percent of them received chemotherapy. The most frequent chemotherapy was doxorubicin-ifosfamide-mesna (N=22; 32%), and docetaxel-gemcitabine (N=6, 9%), and epirubicin-ifosfamide-mesna (N=3; 4%). There was a high variability in the rest of the treatments. During the first-line therapy, twenty-one patients (24%) had surgery, and fifteen patients (17%) received radiotherapy. Only one patient had a complete response after first-line chemotherapy. Forty-five patients received second-line therapy, 93% of whom received chemotherapy. Again, the most frequent treatments were doxorubicin-ifosfamide-mesna (N=13; 31%) and docetaxel-gemcitabine (N=9; 21%). Two patients experienced a complete response with second-line therapy.

CONCLUSIONS: There is a high variability in the treatment of advanced soft-tissue sarcomas in Argentina. Response to current chemotherapy treatments is very poor. There is a large need for more effective treatments.