Abstract
Background Primary pulmonary sarcoma (PPS) is a rare malignant lung neoplasm, and there is very
little medical evidence about treatment of PPS. The aim of this study is to clarify
the clinical characteristics and therapeutic outcome of patients who underwent surgical
resection for PPS.
Methods We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients who underwent surgical resection
for PPS in our institution between 1995 and 2014. Cases who only underwent biopsy
were excluded.
Results A total of 24 patients (18 males, 6 females), with a median age of 60 (interquartile
range: 44–67) years, were analyzed. The surgical procedures performed in these patients
were pneumonectomy (n = 10), lobectomy (n = 11), and wedge resection (n = 3). Complete resection was achieved in 16 patients. The pathological stages (tumor,
node, metastases lung cancer classification, 8th edition) of the patients were I (n = 4), II (n = 12), III (n = 2), and IV (n = 5), and there were four cases of lymph node metastasis. The 5-year overall survival
rate of the patients was 50% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 29–72). Adverse prognostic
factors for overall survival were incomplete resection (hazard ratio [HR]: 4.4, 95%
CI: 2.1–42), advanced pathological stage (HR 14, 95% CI: 2.8–66), higher pathological
grade (HR 4.5, 95% CI: 1.2–17), and tumor size ≥ 7 cm (HR 4.7, 95% CI: 1.1–21).
Conclusions Our series of PPS revealed that incomplete resection, advanced pathological stage,
higher pathological grade, and tumor size were unfavorable factors for long-term survival.
Keywords
sarcoma - tumor - radiation therapy - chemotherapy - surgery/incisions
