Study reveals disparities in soft tissue sarcoma incidence rates

There are significant sex disparities in the incidence rates of soft tissue sarcomas (STS), with males exhibiting higher incidence rates across all age groups, with a slight increase observed over the last 3 decades.

This trend was suggested to be potentially linked to occupational exposure to environmental mutagens affecting primarily males.

However, the study also noted that short-term mortality rates and clinicopathological profiles did not show significant differences between sexes, except for variations in the location of the cancer site. Moreover, direct healthcare costs within 2 years of an STS diagnosis were found to be unrelated to gender, indicating similar financial burdens for both male and female patients.

The study’s lead researcher highlighted the importance of recognizing these disparities for targeted prevention efforts and improved clinical management.

Reference
Buja A, Rugge M, Tropea S, et al. Sex Differences in Soft Tissue Sarcoma: Incidence, Clinicopathological Profile, Survival, and Costs. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2023;doi: 10.1089/jwh.2023.0019. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37819711.