[Conservative treatment of extremity soft tissue sarcomas. Functional evaluation using LENT-SOMA scales and Enneking scoring].

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this prospective study is the feasibility of late effects assessment by LENT-SOMA scales after conservative treatment of soft tissue sarcomas of the extremities and a comparison with the functional evaluation by the Enneking score.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: During the systematic follow-up consultations, a series of 32 consecutive patients was evaluated in terms of late effects by LENT-SOMA scales and functional results by the Enneking score. The median time after treatment was 65 months. The treatment consisted of conservative surgery (all cases) followed by radiation therapy (29 cases), often combined with adjuvant therapy (12 concomitant radio-chemotherapy association cases out of 14). The assessment of the toxicity was retrospective for acute effects and prospective for the following late tissue damage: skin/subcutaneous tissues, muscles/soft tissues and peripheral nerves.

RESULTS: According to the Enneking score, the global score for the overall series was high (24/30) despite four the scores zero for the psychological acceptance. According to LENT-SOMA scales, a low rate of severe sequellae (grade 3-4) was observed. The occurrence of high-grade sequellae and their functional consequences were not correlated with quality of exerese, dose of radiotherapy or use of concomitant chemotherapy. A complementarity was observed between certain factors of the Enneking score and some criteria of the LENT-SOMA scales, especially of muscles/soft tissues.

CONCLUSION: The good quality of functional results was confirmed by the two mean scoring systems for late normal tissue damage. The routine use of LENT-SOMA seems to be more time consuming than the Enneking score (mean time of scoring: 13 versus five minutes). The LENT-SOMA scales are aimed at a detailed description of late toxicity and sequellae while the Enneking score provides a more global evaluation, including the psychological acceptance of treatment. The late effects assessment by the LENT-SOMA scales should be carried on in prospectives studies, especially in case of concomitant radio-chemotherapy.