Therefore, we investigated the National Cancer Database (NCDB) to study how these guidelines are being followed, to determine what factors may be associated with the decision not to use RT, and to see whether there was an association of RT use and survival.


 We retrospectively analyzed localized high-grade STS patients in the NCDB from 1998 through 2006. 
NCDB
Then, long-term survival between the two groups was evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier (KM) method with comparisons based on the log-rank test. 
log-rank test
Propensity matching was performed secondarily to minimize the influence of confounding variables.


 This large database review reveals a striking lack of utilization of RT to treat high-grade STS, which correlates with poorer survival even after propensity matching. 
Propensity matching