Prognostic analysis for survival after resections of localized primary cardiac sarcomas: a single-institution experience.

BACKGROUND: Primary cardiac sarcomas are rare diseases with a poor prognosis. This study aims to provide a prognostic analysis after different levels of resections of cardiac sarcomas.

METHODS: Twenty-nine patients undergoing resections of primary cardiac sarcomas at the Zhongshan Hospital from September 1995 to July 2012 were retrospectively reviewed.

RESULTS: There were 15 women and 14 men. The mean age was 41.0 years. The most common histologic type was angiosarcoma (28%). The median survival for the entire cohort was 17 months (range, 5 to 216 months). Patients with microscopically negative margin (R0) resections had a better median survival than those with microscopically positive margin (R1) resections (58 months versus 11 months; p<0.001). The median survival after an R1 resection was not different from that after a partial resection (12 months; p=0.81). The median local recurrence-free survival after an R0 resection was longer than that after an R1 resection (36 months versus 6 months; p<0.001). Five patients who underwent R0 resections and repeated resections of local recurrences or metastases had the longest median survival of 72 months. None of the patients with R0 resections received adjuvant therapy. Multimodality treatment after R1 and partial resections slightly increased the survival.

CONCLUSIONS: For nonmetastatic and localized primary cardiac sarcoma, an R0 surgical resection of cardiac sarcomas should be performed. Aggressive surgical treatment or radiation therapy for local recurrence or metastasis prolongs the survival. Multimodality treatment is recommended after incomplete resections of cardiac sarcomas. The role of adjuvant chemotherapy after R0 resections is unclear.