Chemotherapy treatment patterns and clinical outcomes in patients with metastatic soft tissue sarcoma. The SArcoma treatment and Burden of Illness in North America and Europe (SABINE) study.

BACKGROUND

To describe chemotherapy treatment patterns and clinical outcomes in metastatic soft tissue sarcoma (mSTS) patients with favorable response to chemotherapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Multicenter (25) multi-country (9) retrospective chart review of mSTS patients with favorable response to chemotherapy, defined as stable disease or better following four cycles.

RESULTS

Two hundred and thirteen patients (58% female; mean age 54.7 years) received a mean of 2.7 lines of chemotherapy and 5.2 cycles per line. The most common first-line regimens were doxorubicin (34%) and anthracycline plus ifosfamide (30%). Favorable response was achieved by 83% to first-line and 42% and 38% in second- and third-line chemotherapy. The most common reason for chemotherapy discontinuation in lines with a favorable response was reaching a predefined number of cycles in first line (64% of 213) and disease progression in second or later lines (41% of 138). The mean time off chemotherapy was 38.0 weeks after first line, falling to 2.7-6.4 weeks in second or later lines. Median overall and progression-free survival were 23.5 (95% confidence interval 20.5-28.1) and 8.3 (7.4-9.9) months from first favorable response to chemotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

mSTS patients achieving favorable response to chemotherapy have poor outcomes. Additional treatment options are needed.