Introduction: The study compares the outcome of paediatric patients with adult-type soft tissue sarcomas with that reported for adults, taking into account the effect of established prognostic factors.
Methods: The actual mortality of our series was compared with that predicted by the nomogram developed for adults at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. From a previously-published series of 182 patients <18 years, 112 cases fulfilling the criteria for the nomogram application were selected.
Results: Actual 10-year mortality for the series was 29%, compared with a 16% predicted mortality. The effect of individual covariates was qualitatively consistent with that of adults, but the unfavourable prognostic effect of tumour size was stronger in paediatric cases.
Conclusion: The variables known to have a prognostic role in adults are relevant also in children. The worse outcome observed in our series might be explained by the stronger adverse effect of tumour size in young patients.