Treatment at Relapse for Synovial Sarcoma of Children, Adolescents and Young Adults: From the State of Art to Future Clinical Perspectives

Abstract

While the overall prognosis is generally quite satisfactory in children, adolescents and young adults with localised synovial sarcoma at first diagnosis, the outcome remains poor for patients after relapse. Conversely to the front-line standardised treatment options, patients with relapse generally have an individualised approach and to date, there is still a lack of consensus regarding standard treatment approaches. Studies on relapsed synovial sarcoma were able to identify some prognostic variables that influence post-relapse survival, in order to plan risk-adapted salvage protocols. Treatment proposals must consider previous first-line treatments, potential toxicities, and the possibility of achieving an adequate local treatment by new surgery and/or re-irradiation. Effective second-line drug therapies are urgently needed. Notably, experimental treatments such as adoptive engineered TCR-T cell immunotherapy seem promising in adults and are currently under validation also in paediatric patients.