Objectives: To state about adequacy of surgery margins in soft tissue sarcoma (STS).
Methods: Review of the relevant literature.
Results: The end point for measuring the quality of margins in STS is local recurrence (LR). The rate of LR in specialised centres lies between 16 and 22%. The rates of LR should be given by the actuarial estimations. The methods determining margins are variable in the literature. By the quantitative methods, measuring the distance between the tumour edge and the limits of resection on the excision specimen, a twofold difference in LR is seen between adequate and inadequate margins. This difference is fourfold by the qualitative, consensual method from the French Sarcoma Group, appearing here more discriminatory. Obtaining adequate margins depends on the planned character of surgery, tumour size, tumour infiltration and grade.
Conclusion: An actuarial 5-year LR rate ranging from 10 to 20% is a criterion for good quality of surgery. These results appear to be obtained best in specialised centres.