Authors:Todoroki T, Kondo T, Sugahara S, Morishita Y, Mori K, Ohno T.
Journal:World J Surg Oncol. 2011 Aug 24;9:96. doi: 10.1186/1477-7819-9-96.
Abstract:Malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) is an aggressive spindle cell cancer of soft-tissue sarcoma type in the elderly, mostly affecting the extremities. Lesions > 5 cm, positive margins, and local recurrence are significant poor prognostic indicators. The strongest predictor for distant metastasis was tumor size (> 5 cm), and for overall survival, presence of local recurrence. Limb-sparing extensive tumor resection is preferred to achieve negative surgical margins. However, in some circumstances, amputation is inevitable. Recent studies demonstrated that adjuvantradiotherapy for microscopically positive surgical margins significantly improved local control and disease-free survival rates. Therefore, effective therapeutic strategies against locally relapsed high grade MFH are required to prevent distant metastasis and to achieve long-term disease-free survival. Here, we report local relapse of high grade MFH treated by successive application of autologous formalin-fixed tumor vaccination (AFTV) with limb-sparing surgery and postoperative radiotherapy. The patient is alive and well, disease-free and with no functional impairment, more than five years after treatment.
