08/03/2024
From the National Leiomyosarcoma Foundation
www.nlmsf.org
Information shared from PUB MED about the utility of the SARACULATOR NOMOGRAM - for Sarcoma.
This topic was covered by the NLMSF some time ago and will be revisited in a virtual presentation
in August. Wanted to share this now for possible discussion with your oncologist if applicable:
Proteomic profiling improves prognostic risk stratification of the Sarculator nomogram in soft tissue sarcomas of the extremities and trunk wall
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39041188/
Opportunities and challenges in soft tissue sarcoma risk stratification in the era of Personalized Medicine
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39080193
The perspectives of research clinicians who utilize the Sarcolator - nomogram to help patient treatment strategies:
Nomograms are very important and it’s important to know how to risk stratify patients so we have a better idea of whether to give them toxic therapy to prevent recurrence, or whether the risk outweighs the benefit. I think patients need a more thorough discussion about what goes into a nomogram and how it can help patients."
- Nam Bui, Stanford Medical Center
Dr. Bui is a Clinical Assistant Professor, Stanford Cancer Institute and a specialist in Sarcoma.
Member of the NLMSF-SPAGN International LMS Research Roundtable
- Nomograms do not predict how an individual will do.
Nomograms give the patient an idea how on average patients with similar clinical features have done in the past. ½ did better and ½
did worse from the average. We use the sarculator app to show a patient how others have done with similar clinical parameters
Dr Scott Okuno, Sarcoma Center, Mayo Clinic
Executive Chair of the NLMSF and the NLMSF - SPAGN International LMS Research Roundtable
The nomograms used for patients with stage 1 or 2 or 3 disease (curable). I find it useful to determine risk of recurrence and explain the risks and benefits of adjuvant therapy.
I tend to use terms like high risk or high likelihood to spread or low risk or low likelihood to spread rather than actual numbers because patients can get fixated on the numbers.
They are not used for patients that already have metastatic disease
Dr. Gina D'Amato, Sarcoma Center, Sylvester Cancer Center
Member of the NLMSF - SPAGN International LMS Research Roundtable
I am using the sarculator frequently. I don't think patients get upset discussing results to be able to move forward with a more informed treatment plan.
I use it to inform patients of the importance of adjuvant therapy in certain cases.
Dr. Kristen Ganjoo, Sarcoma Center, Stanford Cancer Institute
Member of the NLMSF- SPAGN International LMS Research Roundtable
If patients are scared to learn their prognosis, they should simply avoid to ask or use nomograms.
For all others who are willing to learn their risk instead and for all care givers/doctors who use the calculated risk to make decisions, nomograms and among them sarculator are very useful
to give better personalized recommendations. And this is a big help for patients.
Dr. Alessandro Gronchi, chairman of the soft tissue sarcoma committee of the Italian Sarcoma Group (ISG),
secretary of the EORTC Soft Tissue and Bone Sarcoma Group, and is a member of the Sarcoma Task Force
of the European Society for Medical Oncology, as well as a member of the NLMSF - SPAGN International LMS Research Roundtable
Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) are a rare and heterogeneous group of cancers. Treatment options have changed little in the past thirty years, and the role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy is controversial. Accurate risk stratification is crucial in STS in order to facilitate clinical discussions around peri-...
