# Alterations in Plasma Lipid Profile before and after Surgical Removal of Soft Tissue Sarcoma

## TL;DR

This study examines changes in plasma lipid levels before and after surgery for soft tissue sarcoma, identifying potential biomarkers for tumor recurrence and treatment response.

## Contribution

The study reveals specific lipid metabolite changes and potential biomarkers for predicting recurrence in soft tissue sarcoma patients.

## Key findings

- Phospholipid levels increased post-surgery while acyl-carnitine levels decreased.
- Lower pre-operative levels of LPC O-18:0 and LPC O-16:2 were associated with tumor recurrence.
- Metabolic profiling may help identify tumors responsive to lipid synthase inhibitors.

## Abstract

Soft tissue sarcoma (STS) is a relatively rare malignancy, accounting for about 1% of all adult cancers. It is known to have more than 70 subtypes. Its rarity, coupled with its various subtypes, makes early diagnosis challenging. The current standard treatment for STS is surgical removal. To identify the prognosis and pathophysiology of STS, we conducted untargeted metabolic profiling on pre-operative and post-operative plasma samples from 24 STS patients who underwent surgical tumor removal. Profiling was conducted using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–quadrupole time-of-flight/mass spectrometry. Thirty-nine putative metabolites, including phospholipids and acyl-carnitines were identified, indicating changes in lipid metabolism. Phospholipids exhibited an increase in the post-operative samples, while acyl-carnitines showed a decrease. Notably, the levels of pre-operative lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) O-18:0 and LPC O-16:2 were significantly lower in patients who experienced recurrence after surgery compared to those who did not. Metabolic profiling may identify aggressive tumors that are susceptible to lipid synthase inhibitors. We believe that these findings could contribute to the elucidation of the pathophysiology of STS and the development of further metabolic studies in this rare malignancy.