Patient-reported functional outcomes in a cohort of hand and foot sarcoma survivors treated with limb sparing surgery and radiation therapy.

BACKGROUND AND

OBJECTIVES

Describe patient-reported functional outcomes for hand and foot sarcoma survivors treated with limb-sparing surgery and radiation therapy (LSS + RT).

METHODS

Fifty-four patients with hand/wrist and foot/ankle sarcomas treated with LSS + RT from 1991 to 2015 were identified. Survivors ≥18 years old without subsequent amputation completed self-assessed functional surveys: Toronto upper extremity salvage score (TESS-UE) and Michigan hand outcomes (MHQ) surveys for hand; TESS lower extremity (TESS-LE) and Foot and Ankle Outcomes (FAOS) surveys for foot. Scoring scales: 0-100, MHQ and TESS; -26 to 56 and 25-59, FAOS core and shoe comfort, respectively. Higher scores denote superior function.

RESULTS

Five-year local tumor control was 88%. Fourteen of 24 hand (58%) and 14/18 foot (78%) survivors completed surveys. Mean TESS-UE and MHQ scores were 89.4 and 72.8, respectively. Mean TESS-LE, core FAOS, and shoe comfort scores were 92.4, 46.19, and 53.1, respectively. No factors correlated with outcomes. TESS-UE and MHQ scores strongly correlated (r = .87). TESS-LE and FAOS scores were associated with a poor correlation (r = .02 and r = .69).

CONCLUSIONS

The largest patient-reported functional outcomes analysis for hand and foot sarcoma survivors treated with LSS + RT demonstrates excellent local tumor control and acceptable functional outcomes. Further exploration of optimal functional assessment tools is needed given the potential scope differences.