How does treatment at a high-volume institution impact overall survival in STS?
No significant association between socioeconomic factors and overall survival (OS) was found in patients with soft tissue sarcoma (STS) treated at a high-volume institution, according to a retrospective analysis at a single institution.
Of the 435 patients included, 37% had grade 3 tumors, 44% had disease >5 cm, and 38% were privately insured. More than half (52%) of patients received neoadjuvant therapy prior to resection.
According to the study, “median distance from the treatment center was 42 miles and median area deprivation index (ADI) was 5 (10 representing most deprived communities).”
Multivariate analysis found that higher tumor grade, tumor size >5 cm, and involved lymph nodes were significantly associated with OS.
The following factors were not found to be associated with OS:
Sex
Age at diagnosis
Marital status
Employment status
Urban vs. rural location
Income
Education
Distance to the treatment center
ADI
“Treatment at a high-volume institution may mitigate the importance of socio-economic factors in the OS of STS,” the authors concluded.
Reference
Eastman BM, Hippe DS, Wootton LS, et al. Socio-economic factors do not affect overall survival in soft tissue sarcoma when patients treated at a single high-volume center. BMC Cancer. 2021;21(1):620. doi: 10.1186/s12885-021-08352-z. PMID: 34039294.
