Musculoskeletal Tumor Society Member Survey: Intra-Operative Peripheral Margins in Soft Tissue Sarcoma

Background and objectives: Routine intraoperative peripheral margin sampling is often employed by musculoskeletal surgical oncologists. Several recommendations exist regarding this practice pattern. It is unknown what the practice patterns of Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) members are. Evidence-based data to support or refute this practice is currently lacking. We developed an anonymous survey with two primary objectives. To determine the practice patterns of active MSTS members with respect to intraoperative peripheral margin sampling and to elucidate the most common rationale for routine sampling.

Methods: An anonymous survey was distributed through the MSTS to 320 active members. Results were collected with a branching logic fashion via Microsoft Forms®.

Results: Surveys were sent to 320 MSTS members in 2021. A total of 108 responses were collected. A total of 55 (51%) respondents noted that they routinely send intraoperative peripheral margins. Primary reasons for margin assessment included concerns about adequacy of margins. Members who routinely send frozen margins sent on average 4-6 specimens.

Conclusions: There is significant variability in this practice amongst MSTS members. Given there is no evidence to support or refute this practice, Further investigation is required to determine the clinical utility of routine intraoperative peripheral margin sampling.