Abstract 1523P
Background
Bone and soft tissue sarcomas are rare and heterogenetic diseases. Each subtype has unique epidemiology, etiology, molecular profile, and prognosis. According to previous studies, genetic predisposition causes some sarcoma. Additionally, studies have identified environmental and occupational factors, such as chemicals and pesticides. However, these results need further validation. This study analyzed the incidence and geographic distribution of bone and soft tissue sarcoma cases in Japan. It aimed to determine the risk factors and develop strategies for prevention and early detection of sarcoma.
Methods
The data of bone and soft tissue sarcoma during 2011-2017 were acquired from the National Cancer Registry Database, from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in Japan. The histologic subtype, sex, age, primary site, tumor extent, residence at diagnosis, and age-standardized incidence rates (ASR) were analyzed. We aggregated bone and soft tissue sarcoma by 20 histologic subtypes: liposarcoma, leiomyosarcoma, gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), malignant nerve sheath tumors, etc.
Results
The study included 69734 patients (ASR 5.65 per 100,000 person-years, 95% confidence interval [CI] 5.61-5.70). The most common subtype was GIST (ASR 1.15, 95% CI 1.13-1.17), followed by liposarcoma (ASR 0.76, 95% CI 0.74-0.78) and malignant nerve sheath tumors (ASR 0.58, 95% CI 0.56-0.59). Based on the funnel plot analysis, there were no apparent differences between the prefectures in terms of the incidence rate of sarcoma. A higher age-standardized incidence rate for GISTs was observed in western coastal regions.
Conclusions
This study analyzed the incidence and geographic distribution of sarcoma in Japan using the national cancer registry data. No significant interregional difference was observed in terms of the incidence of all histologic subtypes. A higher incidence rate for GISTs was observed in some regions. There were no higher rate of patients diagnosed with neurofibromatosis in these regions. A previous study reported the highest incidence rates for GISTs in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Taiwan. The increased incidence rate was possibly attributed to the genetic makeup of East Asian patients.
Clinical trial identification
Editorial acknowledgement
Legal entity responsible for the study
The authors.
Funding
Has not received any funding.
Disclosure
All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.