Abstract
Twenty-six patients with soft tissue sarcomas in the extremities who had been treated by a conservative surgery and radiotherapy were reviewed on the complications due to irradiation.
The significant complications appeared in 11 patients.: limited range of motion of the joint (8 limbs), nerve damage (5 limbs), edema of the distal extremities (4 limbs), fibrosis (3 limbs), etc. These complications developed frequently in the patients with the dosage more than 50 Gy and the radiation field which included entire circumference of the limb. The higher incidence of complications was also seen in the proximal site of the limbs such as the hip joint and thigh.
Careful planning of a radiotherapy would be necessary to avoid significant complications.
