A single institution experience of combined modality management of extra skeletal Ewings sarcoma

BACKGROUND Extraskeletal Ewings sarcoma are rare tumors for which there is no consensus on optimal management. METHODS A retrospective review of the clinical features, treatment and outcome of patients with extraskeletal Ewings sarcoma who reported to a single institution between January 1992-December 2003 is reported. RESULTS A total of 19 patients with extraskeletal Ewings sarcoma were identified. Of these, 4 patients had metastatic disease at presentation and 15 patients with non-metastatic disease received combined modality treatment with primary combination chemotherapy followed by local treatment with radiotherapy or surgery. Disease free survival and overall survival for patients with non metastatic disease after combined modality treatment were 60% and 30% respectively. The significant predictors for prolonged disease free survival and overall survival were high haemoglobin (p = 0.002), low lactate dehydrogenase (p = 0.028), chemotherapy with Vincristine, Adriamycin, Cyclophosphamide, Ifosfamide and Etoposide regime (p = 0.008) and complete response to chemotherapy (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION Aggressive combination chemotherapy followed by complete surgery or radiotherapy to a dose of more than 50 Gy is essential to confer optimal outcome for patients with extraskeletal Ewings sarcoma.