Incidence and survival in sarcoma in the United States: a focus on musculoskeletal lesions.

BACKGROUND/AIM The purpose of this study was to analyze the incidence and survival in all sarcomas based on year of diagnosis, anatomical site, grade, stage, and age of patient. MATERIALS AND METHODS The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was queried for the years 1975 to 2009 and included 18 registries across the United States representing 28% of the national population. Incidence rates for 2005-2009 and five-year survival rates for 2000-2004 were calculated for all categories of sarcomas for multiple key variables. RESULTS Sarcomas are rare, with most occurring in fewer than 5 per 1,000,000. The most common were leiomyosarcoma, Kaposi sarcoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma, liposarcoma and fibrosarcoma. Survival was poorer for those with more advanced grade, stage, and age at-diagnosis. Most sarcomas affected the lower extremities, followed by the upper extremities and torso. Pelvic tumors were less common, but generally led lower survival than lesions of the extremities. CONCLUSION The epidemiology of sarcomas varies widely by type and other variables. Incidence and survival data provide valuable information for patient counseling and may have implications in understanding the natural history of sarcoma. This study represents the most recently updated comprehensive report on all types of sarcomas in the United States.