Sarcoma treatment in the era of molecular medicine
Thomas G. P. Grünewald, Marta M. Alonso, Sofia Avnet, Ana Banito, Stefan Burdach, Florencia Cidre‐Aranaz, Gemma Di Pompo, Martin Distel, Heathcliff Dorado García, Javier Garcı́a-Castro, Laura González‐González, Agamemnon E. Grigoriadis, Merve Kasan, Christian Koelsche, Manuela Krumbholz, Fernando Lecanda, Silvia Lemma, Dario Livio Longo, Claudia Madrigal‐Esquivel, Álvaro Morales‐Molina, Julian Musa, Shunya Ohmura, Benjamin Ory, Miguel Pereira‐Silva, Francesca Perut, René Rodrı́guez, Carolin Seeling, Nada Al Shaaili, Shabnam Shaabani, Kristina Shiavone, Snehadri Sinha, Eleni M. Tomazou, Marcel Trautmann, María Vela, Yvonne M.H. Versleijen‐Jonkers, Julia D. Visgauss, Marta Zalacaín, Sebastian Johannes Schober, Andrej Lissat, William English, Nicola Baldini, Dominique Heymann
Abstract
Sarcomas are heterogeneous and clinically challenging soft tissue and bone cancers. Although constituting only 1% of all human malignancies, sarcomas represent the second most common type of solid tumors in children and adolescents and comprise an important group of secondary malignancies. More than 100 histological subtypes have been characterized to date, and many more are being discovered due to molecular profiling. Owing to their mostly aggressive biological behavior, relative rarity, and occurrence at virtually every anatomical site, many sarcoma subtypes are in particular difficult-to-treat categories. Current multimodal treatment concepts combine surgery, polychemotherapy (with/without local hyperthermia), irradiation, immunotherapy, and/or targeted therapeutics. Recent scientific advancements have enabled a more precise molecular characterization of sarcoma subtypes and revealed novel therapeutic targets and prognostic/predictive biomarkers. This review aims at providing a comprehensive overview of the latest advances in the molecular biology of sarcomas and their effects on clinical oncology; it is meant for a broad readership ranging from novices to experts in the field of sarcoma.