Apoptoseinduktion und Proliferationshemmung durch Doxorubicin, Trabectedin und Mafosfamid in Kombination mit TRAIL und Taurolidin in humanen HT1080 Fibrosarkomzellen

$\bf {Einleitung:}$ In dieser Studie wurde untersucht, inwieweit die Wirkung etablierter und neuerer Chemotherapeutika durch das Antiseptikum Taurolidin (TRD) und das körpereigene Protein TRAIL (TNF related apoptosis inducing ligand) gesteigert werden kann. $\bf {Methode:}$ Humane Fibrosarkomzellen (HT1080) wurden in vitro mit Doxorubicin, Mafosfamid und Trabectedin einzeln und in Kombination mit TRD und/oder TRAIL inkubiert. Die quantitativen Zelltodanalysen erfolgten mittels Durchflusszytometrie und die Zellproliferation wurde mittels BrdU-ELISA bestimmt. $\bf {Ergebnisse/Diskussion:}$ Trabectedin und Doxorubicin induzieren apoptotischen Zelltod und hemmen die Zellproliferation in humanen Fibrosarkomzellen. Durch die Kombination mit TRAIL und TRD kann eine gesteigerte Apoptoseinduktion erzielt werden

Plastic surgery for the oncological patient

The therapy of oncological patients has seen tremendous progress in the last decades. For most entities, it has been possible to improve the survival as well as the quality of life of the affected patients. To supply optimal cancer care, a multidisciplinary approach is vital. Together with oncologists, radiotherapists and other physicians, plastic surgeons can contribute to providing such care in all stages of treatment. From biopsies to the resection of advanced tumors, the coverage of the resulting defects and even palliative care, plastic surgery techniques can help to improve survival and quality of life as well as mitigate negative effects of radiation or the problems arising from exulcerating tumors in a palliative setting. This article aims to present the mentioned possibilities by illustrating selected cases and reviewing the literature. Especially in oncological patients, restoring their quality of life with the highest patient safety possible is of utmost importance

Reconstruction of soft-tissue defects at the foot and ankle after oncological resection

$\textbf {Introduction:}$ Solid malignancies at the foot and ankle region are rare and include mainly soft-tissue sarcomas, bone sarcomas, and skin malignancies. Complete surgical resection with clear margins still remains the mainstay of therapy in these malignancies. However, attainment of negative surgical margins in patients with locally advanced tumors of the foot and ankle region may require extensive surgery and could result in loss of extremity function. In these circumstances, plastic surgical techniques can frequently reduce functional impairment and cover soft-tissue defects, particularly in cases of large tumor size or localization adjacent to critical anatomic structures, thereby improving the quality of life for these patients. The aim of this article is to illustrate the various treatment options of plastic surgery in the multimodal therapy of patients with malignant tumors of the foot and ankle region. $\textbf {Materials and methods:}$ This article is based on the review of the current literature and the evaluation of the author’s own patient database. $\textbf {Results:}$ The local treatment of malignant extremity tumors has undergone major changes over the last few decades. Primary amputations have been increasingly replaced by limb-sparing techniques, preserving extremity function as much as possible. Although defect coverage at the foot and ankle region is demanding due to complex anatomical features and functional requirements, several plastic surgical treatment options can be implemented in the curative treatment of patients with malignant solid tumors in this area. Soft-tissue defects after tumor resection can be covered by a variety of local flaps. If local flaps are not applicable, free flap transfer, such as the anterolateral thigh flap, parascapular flap, or latissimus dorsi flap, can be utilized to cover nearly all kinds of defects in the foot and ankle region. $\textbf {Conclusion:}$ Soft-tissue reconstruction in the foot and ankle region is a vital component of limb-sparing surgery. It enables complete resection of locally advanced tumors and subsequent adjuvant radiotherapy. Modern plastic surgical techniques should, therefore, be integrated in the multimodal treatment concept of malignancies in the foot and ankle region

Reconstructive options for oncologic posterior trunk defects

After oncological tumor resections at the back, large defects can remain that depending on the size and location may represent reconstructive challenges to plastic surgeons. Flap selection includes the entire armamentarium of coverage, including transposition flaps, perforator flaps, pedicled muscle flaps, and free flaps. Most defects can be closed and reconstructed with local or pedicled muscle flaps. In our hands, sufficient closure could be obtained with all techniques, except the latissimus dorsi turn-over flap. Thereupon, an algorithm for closure of posterior trunk defects related to the anatomical region is proposed

Plastic surgery in the multimodal treatment concept of soft tissue sarcoma

Surgical intervention is the mainstay treatment for soft tissue sarcomas (STSs). The significance of adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapies, such as chemotherapy, radiation, and isolated limb perfusion, remains under controversial discussion. The goal of this review is to discuss the effects of the aforementioned treatment modalities and their timing of application in plastic surgery techniques. Furthermore, options of reconstruction in cases of complications caused by adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapies are discussed. When compared with adjuvant radiation, neoadjuvant treatment can reduce negative side effects such as fibrosis and edema because radioderma can be removed during the subsequent surgical procedure. Furthermore, there have not been any reports of negative effects of neoadjuvant radiation on microsurgical procedures. However, the dose of neoadjuvant radiation correlates with increased risks of impaired wound healing postoperatively. Thus, a patient-specific approach to decide whether radiation should be performed adjuvant or neoadjuvant is necessary. Preoperative irradiation should be considered in cases where functional structures are exposed after tumor resection, in order to ensure the best possible functionality. Adjuvant radiation should be considered in all other cases because of its known superior wound healing. As for chemotherapy, no negative influence of its use adjuvant or neoadjuvant to reconstructive procedures, such as local or free flaps, has been reported. Lastly, small sample size studies have not shown increased risks of microsurgical failure or wound complications after isolated limb perfusion. The findings of this review suggest that the chronological order of the discussed therapeutic approaches is not a decisive factor in the surgical outcome of reconstructive procedures for STS

Thoracic wall reconstruction after tumor resection

$\textbf {Introduction:}$ Surgical treatment of malignant thoracic wall tumors represents a formidable challenge. In particular, locally advanced tumors that have already infiltrated critical anatomic structures are associated with a high surgical morbidity and can result in full-thickness defects of the thoracic wall. Plastic surgery can reduce this surgical morbidity by reconstructing the thoracic wall through various tissue transfer techniques. Sufficient soft-tissue reconstruction of the thoracic wall improves quality of life and mitigates functional impairment after extensive resection. The aim of this article is to illustrate the various plastic surgery treatment options in the multimodal therapy of patients with malignant thoracic wall tumors. $\textbf {Materials and methods:}$ This article is based on a review of the current literature and the evaluation of a patient database. $\textbf {Results:}$ Several plastic surgical treatment options can be implemented in the curative and palliative therapy of patients with malignant solid tumors of the chest wall. Large soft-tissue defects after tumor resection can be covered by local, pedicled, or free flaps. In cases of large full-thickness defects, flaps can be combined with polypropylene mesh to improve chest wall stability and to maintain pulmonary function. The success of modern medicine has resulted in an increasing number of patients with prolonged survival suffering from locally advanced tumors that can be painful, malodorous, or prone to bleeding. Resection of these tumors followed by thoracic wall reconstruction with viable tissue can substantially enhance the quality of life of these patients. $\textbf {Discussion:}$ In curative treatment regimens, chest wall reconstruction enables complete resection of locally advanced tumors and subsequent adjuvant radiotherapy. In palliative disease treatment, plastic surgical techniques of thoracic wall reconstruction provide palliation of tumor-associated morbidity and can therefore improve patients’ quality of life

Negative impact of wound complications on oncologic outcome of soft tissue sarcomas of the chest wall

A link of complications with worse oncologic prognosis has been established for multiple malignancies, while the limited literature on soft-tissue sarcomas is inconclusive. The aim of this study was to examine risk factors and the oncologic impact of wound complications after curative resection of primary soft-tissue sarcomas of the chest wall. Patients with primary soft tissue sarcomas of the chest wall were identified. Groups with and without wound complications were compared by using univariate and multivariate analysis to identify risk factors. For patients with clear surgical margins (R0), univariate and multivariate analysis of factors associated with 5-year local recurrence free survival (LRFS), metastasis free survival (MFS), and disease specific survival (DSS) were performed. A total of 102 patients were included in the study. Wound complications occurred in 11 patients (10.8%) within 90 days. Cardiovascular morbidity and operation time represented independent risk factors for wound complications. In 94 patients with clear surgical margins, those with wound complications had an estimated 5-year LRFS of 30% versus 72.6% and a 5-year DSS of 58.3% versus 82.1%. Wound complications could be identified as an independent predictor for worse LRFS and DSS. Patients with a high risk of wound complications should be identified and strategies implemented to reduce surgical complications and possibly improve oncologic prognosis

Microsurgical reconstruction of extensive oncological scalp defects

Although most small to medium defects of the scalp can be covered by local flaps, large defects or complicating factors, such as a history of radiotherapy, often require a microsurgical reconstruction. Several factors need to be considered in such procedures. A sufficient preoperative planning is based on adequate imaging of the malignancy and a multi-disciplinary concept. Several flaps are available for such reconstructions, of which the latissimus dorsi and anterior-lateral thigh flaps are the most commonly used ones. In very large defects, combined flaps, such as a parascapular/latissimus dorsi flaps, can be highly useful or necessary. The most commonly used recipient vessels for microsurgical scalp reconstructions are the superficial temporal vessels, but various other feasible choices exist. If the concomitant veins are not sufficient, the jugular veins represent a safe back-up alternative but require a vessel interposition or long pedicle. Post-operative care and patient positioning can be difficult in these patients but can be facilitated by various devices. Overall, microsurgical reconstruction of large scalp defects is a feasible undertaking if the mentioned key factors are taken into account

Antibiotic prophylaxis for prevention of wound infections after soft tissue sarcoma resection

Background and Objectives The use of antibiotic prophylaxis for soft tissue sarcoma resection varies widely while little evidence on this topic exists. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of antibiotic prophylaxis on the occurrence of wound infections. Methods A single institutional retrospective cohort study was performed on patients who underwent truncal or extremity soft tissue sarcoma resection. The use of antibiotic prophylaxis was assessed and univariate and multivariate analysis of predictors of wound infections was performed. Results Nine hundred and fifty-eight patients could be included. Thirty-two percent of patients had no antibiotic prophylaxis, 44% of patients received single-shot prophylaxis, and 24% of patients received single-shot plus continued antibiotic treatment. Wound infections occurred in 140 patients (15%). Independent risk factors for wound infections upon multivariate analysis were obesity, high American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) status, high tumor size and grade, operation time over 120 minutes, and other complications. Antibiotic prophylaxis could not be identified as a protective factor in univariate or multivariate analysis. Conclusions A favorable effect of antibiotic prophylaxis on the occurrence of wound infections could not be observed. Although more studies on this subject are needed, our data do not support the general use of antibiotic prophylaxis for soft tissue sarcoma resection

A single-institutional review of 68 patients with dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans

$\textbf {Background:}$ Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a cutaneous soft tissue sarcoma characterized by an indolent but aggressive local growth. Unplanned excisions with positive margins are common, and the prognostic impact of radical re-excisions is still unclear. The aim of the present study was to identify prognostic indicators of recurrence-free survival (RFS) in patients with DFSP through a long-term follow-up. We tried particularly to determine the prognostic impact of surgical margins and re-excisions in patients after earlier inadequate surgery. $\textbf {Methods:}$ Seventy-five patients with DFSP were treated surgically at our institution between 1999 and 2015. Analyses were restricted to 68 participants with available information on surgical margins. The median follow-up was 5.4 years. $\textbf {Results:}$ Fifty-four patients (79.4%) had low-grade DFSP and 14 patients (20.6%) intermediate-grade FS-DFSP. The 5-year RFS rates were estimated to be 93.5% (95% CI 81.2–97.9) for low-grade DFSP and 39.7% (95% CI 13.0–65.8) for FS-DFSP ($\it P$ 1 cm led to the best local outcome within the R0 subgroup. Significant adverse prognostic features in the multivariate analysis included histologic grade and close margins. $\textbf {Conclusions:}$ The data from this study underscore the long-term benefit of negative margins. In our analysis, re-excisions were an effective method to achieve a high rate of local control in patients who presented after R1 or marginal R0 resection. To ensure the best outcome, re-excisions should aim at negative margin widths of more than 1 cm in the histologic specimen