An abstract titled, “Race and Ethnicity on Diagnosis, Metastasis, and Mortality of Soft Tissue Sarcomas in Retrospective Cohort Study,” was presented at the Connective Tissue Oncology Society (CTOS) 2024 Annual Meeting by authors Ellen Zhang, William Pike, Gavin Hui, Alison Callahan, and Nam Quoc Bui. Dr. Pike and Dr. Hui are affiliated with Atropos Health, Dr. Zhang and Dr. Callahan are affiliated with Stanford Health Care, and Dr. Bui is affiliated with Stanford University.
Short Summary:
Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) encompass a diverse array of rare tumors arising from mesenchymal tissues, exhibiting considerable histological diversity. Emerging research highlights the significant impact of race and ethnicity on survival outcomes, suggesting that genetic factors linked to ancestry could independently influence prognosis, regardless of socioeconomic factors. However, the current body of literature presents conflicting findings regarding mortality rates among different racial groups, underscoring the complex interplay between genetic predispositions, socio-demographic factors, and treatment outcomes in STS.
Key Conclusions:
A retrospective cohort analysis revealed significant racial and ethnic disparities in disease burden and mortality outcomes. Metastatic disease within 3 months of diagnosis was disproportionately higher among Black and Hispanic patients, indicating potential deficiencies in initial diagnostic access and timely surgical intervention. Moreover, the Black population exhibited the shortest average time to death, underscoring an urgent need for tailored interventions. Conversely, mortality rates were most elevated in White patients, with the lowest observed in Asian patients, revealing a statistically significant differential between these groups. These findings underscore the importance of considering racial and ethnic factors in the prognosis and treatment of STS to address these disparities and improve outcomes for all patient groups. Further research is needed to understand the underlying causes of these differences and to develop strategies to mitigate racial and ethnic disparities in care for STS patients.
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