Soft tissue sarcoma: advances in understanding and management.

Soft tissue sarcomas are a rare group of neoplasms readily dispersed throughout the body with different histopathologies and different outcomes. The present review summarizes advances made in biology, distribution and natural history, and emphasises predictive models for outcome. Complete resection remains the major factor in providing cure, with limited benefits in the control of the local disease by radiation therapy and only minimal benefit of systemic therapy for metastatic disease. Identification of targeted therapy utilising direct specific molecular targets raises hope that future progress in control, if not cure, is realistic.