Between January 1, 1971 and October 31, 1987, 18 cases with limb-salvage operations for malignant soft tissue sarcomas were entered into this study. The male/female ratio was 2: 1 and median age was 47.9 (range 16-75). The sites were thigh (14 cases), upper arm (2 cases), forearm (1 case) and lower leg (1 case). In the histological study, there were 6 cases of liposarcoma, 4 MFH, 2 alveolar soft part sarcomas, 2 malignant lymphomas, one neurogenic sarcoma, one synovial sarcoma, one lymph node metastasis of skin cancer and one unknown. The distribution of the histological grade (UICC) was: To (we could find no tumor on our secondly operation after soonly primary surgery at the other clinic.) -1 case, stage I-2 cases (Ia-1, Ib-1), II-7 cases (IIb-7 cases), III-1 case (IIIc) and VI-7 cases (VIa-4, VIb-3). Five-year cumulative survival rate was 72.0%. One case had 3 times of local recurrences, because she had been done by the intralesional resection on the first operation. Four cases had distant metastases. Scince they were elder patients, they had had no adjuvant chemotherapy. Two patients were dead. Sixteen patient were alive. Two cases had been done succesfully limb-salvage operations with vascular reconstractions by their large saphenous veins. And 2 cases underwent en-bloc resections with their sciatic nerves. They had little trouble in their daily living with a short-leg brace for their drop feet.
