[Brachytherapy for sarcomas]

Abstract

The standard of care for local treatment for extremities soft tissue sarcomas relies on conservative surgery combined with external beam radiotherapy. Brachytherapy can be realized instead of external beam radiotherapy in selected cases, or more often used as a boost dose on a limited volume on the area at major risk of relapse, especially if a microscopic positive resection is expected. Close interaction and communication between radiation oncologists and surgeons are mandatory at the time of implantation to limit the risk of side effects. Long-term results are available for low-dose rate brachytherapy. Nowadays, pulsed dose rate or high-dose-rate brachytherapy are more often used. Brachytherapy for paediatric sarcomas is rare, and has to be managed in reference centres.

Keywords: Brachytherapy; Curiethérapie; Intersitial; Interstitielle; Intraoperative; Intraopératoire; Limb; Membres; Paediatrics; Pédiatrie; Sarcoma; Sarcomes.