PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - YOSHIHIRO ARAKI
AU  - NORIO YAMAMOTO
AU  - KATSUHIRO HAYASHI
AU  - AKIHIKO TAKEUCHI
AU  - SHINJI MIWA
AU  - KENTARO IGARASHI
AU  - HIGUCHI TAKASHI
AU  - ABE KENSAKU
AU  - YUTA TANIGUCHI
AU  - HIROTAKA YONEZAWA
AU  - SEI MORINAGA
AU  - YOHEI ASANO
AU  - HIROYUKI TSUCHIYA
TI  - Delayed Initiation of Treatment Is Associated With Metastasis of Soft-tissue Sarcoma
AID  - 10.21873/anticanres.14726
DP  - 2020 Dec 01
TA  - Anticancer Research
PG  - 7009--7015
VI  - 40
IP  - 12
4099  - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/40/12/7009.short
4100  - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/40/12/7009.full
SO  - Anticancer Res2020 Dec 01; 40
AB  - Background/Aim: The delayed initiation of treatment is associated with poor clinical outcomes in patients with malignancies. However, few previous studies have investigated prognostic factors, including the delayed initiation of treatment, in soft-tissue sarcoma. Patients and Methods: One hundred and fifty-three patients with soft-tissue sarcoma were enrolled. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify factors predicting metastasis, including factors that delay the initiation of treatment. Results: The multivariate analysis revealed that high histological grade (p<0.01), tumor located in the trunk (p=0.04), >5-month delay from symptom initiation to consultation of general practitioner (p=0.02), and >29-day delay in referral to a specialized hospital by general practitioners (p=0.03) were independently associated with metastasis of soft tissue sarcoma. Conclusion: Early consultation of a general practitioner and early referral to a specialized hospital might be essential for preventing metastasis of soft-tissue sarcoma.