Background: A thorough understanding of malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH), the most common subtype of soft tissue sarcoma, will lead to improved histologic-specific protocols.
Methods: 126 patients with histologically confirmed MFH were analyzed. The median follow-up was 42 months (range 1-233 months).
Results: Overall survival was 58% at 5 years and 38% at 10 years. Grade significantly influenced prognosis, with 10-year survival of 90%, 60%, and 20% for low, intermediate, and high grade tumors, respectively (p = 0.0007). Distant metastases at initial presentation (p = 0.0002) and size of the primary tumor (p = 0.0007) influenced outcome. Neither anatomic site nor depth of the primary tumor were significant prognostic factors. Positive microscopic margins were associated with a decreased disease-free survival (p = 0.006).
Conclusions: Tumor grade, size, and distant metastases at initial presentation remain the most important prognostic factors for MFH. Resection with negative microscopic margins decreased the incidence of local recurrence.