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Radiation Therapy
Source: Childhood Soft Tissue Sarcoma Treatment (PDQ®)–Health Professional Version, National Cancer Institute.
Source updated: April 21, 2025 · Captured 2026-09-09.
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Context: Treatment Option Overview for Childhood Soft Tissue Sarcoma
Considerations for radiation therapy are based on the potential for surgery, with or without chemotherapy, to obtain local control without severe injury to critical organs, compromise of function, or significant cosmetic or psychological impairment. This will vary according to the following:
Patient variables (e.g., age and sex).
Tumor variables (e.g., histopathology, site, size, and grade).
Surgery and subsequent margin status.
Expectations for radiation-induced morbidities (e.g., impaired bone or muscle development, organ damage, or subsequent neoplasms).
Radiation therapy can be given preoperatively or postoperatively. It can also be used as definitive therapy in rare situations in which surgical resection is not performed.[18] Radiation field size and dose will be based on patient and tumor variables and the surgical procedure.[19] Radiation therapy is associated with improved OS compared with surgery alone when delivered preoperatively or postoperatively.[20]
Brachytherapy and intraoperative radiation may be applicable in select situations.[21-23]; [24][Level of evidence C2]
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