Racial and ethnic variation in presentation and outcomes of high-grade soft tissue sarcoma at a Southeastern United States comprehensive cancer center

Ann Carol Braswell; Victoria Jiminez; Kelsey B Montgomery; M Chandler McLeod; Kristy K Broman; Vanessa Eulo

doi:10.1016/j.amjsurg.2023.10.009

Racial and ethnic variation in presentation and outcomes of high-grade soft tissue sarcoma at a Southeastern United States comprehensive cancer center

Am J Surg. 2024 Jan:227:132-136. doi: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2023.10.009. Epub 2023 Oct 5.

Authors

Ann Carol Braswell¹, Victoria Jiminez², Kelsey B Montgomery³, M Chandler McLeod³, Kristy K Broman⁴, Vanessa Eulo⁵

Affiliations

¹ Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA. Electronic address: acb98@uab.edu.
² Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
³ Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
⁴ Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Institute for Cancer Outcomes and Survivorship, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
⁵ Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.

PMID: 37865543
PMCID: PMC10901035 (available on 2025-01-01)
DOI: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2023.10.009

Abstract

Background: High-grade soft tissue sarcoma is rare and associated with poor prognosis. This study examines racial and ethnic variation in presentation and outcomes at a Southeastern US cancer center.

Methods: Among an institutional cohort of patients seen between January 2016-December 2021, racial and ethnic differences were evaluated using chi-squared tests, Kaplan Meier curves, and Cox proportional hazards models.

Results: There were 295 patients (71 % Non-Hispanic White, 24 % Black, 3 % Hispanic White, 2 % Other). Black representation was greater than national cohorts (24 % vs. 12 %). Histological subtype varied by race/ethnicity (p = 0.007). Adjusting for histology and stage, survival was worse for Black vs. White patients (HR 1.71, 95 % CI 1.07-2.76) and those with metastatic disease (5.47, 3.54-8.44). In non-metastatic patients, survival differences for Black vs. White patients were attenuated by receipt of multi-modal treatment (1.53, 0.82-2.88).

Conclusion: Observed racial disparities in survival of high-grade sarcoma may be addressed by early, multidisciplinary management.

Keywords: High-grade sarcoma; Incidence; Soft-tissue sarcoma; Survival.

MeSH terms

Ethnicity
Health Status Disparities*
Humans
Proportional Hazards Models
Racial Groups
Sarcoma* / ethnology
Sarcoma* / therapy
Southeastern United States / epidemiology
United States / epidemiology

Abstract

MeSH terms

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