Long-term observational study on the disease course of patients with newly diagnosed metastatic soft tissue sarcoma

Soft tissue sarcoma is an umbrella term for various malignant diseases of connective, muscle, or fatty tissue in which uncontrolled cell proliferation occurs. They are relatively rare and can occur anywhere in the body. The causes are usually unknown but may be genetic or environmental. If the disease is not detected until the metastatic stage—that is, when the tumor has spread to other organs—treatment is more difficult and the prognosis is poorer. The risk of metastasis varies depending on the type of soft tissue sarcoma. The standard treatment for metastatic soft tissue sarcoma usually consists of systemic chemotherapy, in which drugs act throughout the body, as well as locally targeted treatments such as surgery or radiation therapy directed at the metastases. There are many different subtypes of soft tissue sarcomas, which grow at different rates and respond differently to treatment. The precise selection of therapy is very complex and depends on numerous factors.

The goal of this prospective registry study is to monitor and document the long-term course of the disease in order to identify clinical factors that are significant for treatment. The study is purely observational and prospective, which means that no drugs or new forms of therapy are being tested. Patients will be monitored over an extended period (at least 2 years) to assess the long-term effects of the treatments. The primary endpoint of the study is progression-free survival (PFS), defined as the time from the start of the study until the first occurrence of disease progression, recurrence, or death from any cause.

Women and men aged 18 and older with soft tissue sarcoma and newly diagnosed distant metastases are eligible to participate in this study. Certain subtypes, such as gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST), Ewing sarcomas, small-cell, blue-cell, and round-cell sarcomas, and rhabdomyosarcomas, are excluded.