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. 2025 May 2:220:115368.
doi: 10.1016/j.ejca.2025.115368. Epub 2025 Mar 17.

Conference on challenges in sarcoma (CCS) 2024: Expert opinions on non-evidence-based management aspects

Silvia Hofer  1 , Chantal Pauli  2 , Beata Bode  3 , Sylvie Bonvalot  4 , Christina Fotopoulou  5 , Hans Gelderblom  6 , Rick L Haas  7 , Jendrik Hardes  8 , Peter Hohenberger  9 , Jens Jakob  10 , Wolfgang G Kunz  11 , Andreas Leithner  12 , Bernadette Liegl-Atzwanger  13 , Lars Lindner  14 , Aisha Miah  15 , Peter Reichardt  16 , Piotr Rutkowski  17 , Benedikt M Schaarschmidt  18 , Katrin Scheinemann  19 , Joanna Szkandera  20 , Eva Wardelmann  21 , Dimosthenis Andreou  22 , Christian Rothermundt  23 ; CCS2024 panellists
Collaborators, Affiliations

Conference on challenges in sarcoma (CCS) 2024: Expert opinions on non-evidence-based management aspects

Silvia Hofer et al. Eur J Cancer. .

Abstract

Background: Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) and other mesenchymal tumours belong to rare, heterogeneous neoplasms with over 150 subtypes that pose significant challenges in diagnosis and clinical decision making. While guidelines address evidence-based diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, clinical situations and scenarios without evidence remain controversial in daily practice. The 2024 Conference on Challenges in Sarcoma (CCS2024) aimed to narrow these gaps with the support of an international and multidisciplinary panel of sarcoma experts.

Methods: A Delphi process identified 200 controversial questions across eight prioritised clinical scenarios, including tenosynovial giant cell tumour, synovial sarcoma of the extremities, retroperitoneal sarcomas, angiosarcoma, phyllodes tumour, malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour, uterine leiomyosarcoma, and atypical lipomatous tumour.

Results: Sixty-four experts discussed 141 controversies during the conference and reached strong consensus (> 90 %) on 24 and consensus (> 75 %) on 45 key diagnostic and therapeutic issues, while unresolved controversies emphasized the need for further research.

Conclusions: CCS2024 provides a framework for clinical decision making and underscores the importance of consensus-driven approaches in the treatment of rare and complex malignancies.

Keywords: Advanced STS treatment; Consensus statements; Multimodal STS management; Peri-operative STS treatment; STS diagnosis; STS follow-up; Soft tissue sarcoma (STS).

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Silvia Hofer: Congress registration fee: PharmaMar. Chantal Pauli: no COI. Beata Bode: no COI. Sylvie Bonvalot: no COI. Christina Fotopoulou: honoraria: EThicon, AstraZeneca, MSD, Oncoinvent, GSK. Hans Gelderblom: no COI. Rick L Haas: no COI. Jendrik Hardes: no COI. Peter Hohenberger: no COI. Jens Jakob: Honoraria: PharmaMar, Lilly. Wolfgang G Kunz: honoraria: Boehringer Ingelheim, AstraZeneca, mint Medical, Need, Inc., Falk Foundation, Bristol Myers Squibb. Andreas Leithner: no COI. Bernadette Liegl-Atzwanger: no COI. Lars H Lindner: Honoraria and compensation for advisory boards: Novartis, Lilly, Eisai, Dr. Sennewald Medizintechnik, EL Medconsult, Daiichi Sankyo, Pfizer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Travel and research grants: Dr. Sennewald Medizintechnik, Travel grants: Pharmamar, Stockownerships: Thermosome (Co-founder). Aisha B Miah: no COI. Peter Reichardt: Honoraria for participation in Advisory Boards for Bayer, Novartis, Deciphera, PharmaMar, GSK, Boehringer Ingelheim and for lectures for Deciphera, PharmaMar, Boehringer Ingelheim. Piotr Rutkowski: Hornoraria: Bristol-Myers Squibb, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, Pierre Fabre, Sanofi, Merck, AstraZeneca. Speakers’ Bureau: Pfizer, Novartis, Pierre Fabre, MSD, BMS. Travel expenses: Pierre Fabre. Research funding (to institution): Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, Bristol-Myers Squibb. Benedikt M Schaarschmidt: Research grant: PharmaCept GmbH for an investigator-initiated study not related to this paper, travel grant form Bayer AG and speaker honorarium from AstraZeneca. Katrin Scheinemann: no COI. Joanna Szkandera: Participation in advisory boards or invited speaker fees: PharmaMar, Bayer, Roche, Lilly, Amgen; Travel expenses: PharmaMar, Roche, Lilly, Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb; Research funding: PharmaMar, Roche, Eisai. Eva Wardelmann: Participation in advisory boards or invited speaker fees: Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH, Novartis Precision Oncology, PharmaMar, Roche, Sanofi, Bristol Myers Squibb. Dimosthenis Andreou: Honoraria: PharmaMar. Christian Rothermundt: Consulting or Advisory Role (Payment to Institution): Bayer (Schweiz) AG,. Bristol-Myers Squibb, Ipsen, MSD Oncology, Pfizer

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