Clinicopathological features and treatment profile of patients referred to a sarcoma medical oncology centre in India: Challenges and insights from the developing world.

Authors

null

Ghazal Tansir

All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, India

Ghazal Tansir , Sameer Rastogi , Adarsh Barwad

Organizations

All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, India, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India

Research Funding

No funding received
None.

Background: Sarcomas are rare cancers that warrant expert pathologic diagnosis (dx) and multidisciplinary treatment (MDT). We analysed details of patients (pts) diagnosed with soft tissue sarcomas (STS) and bone sarcomas (BS) referred to our centre. Methods: This is a retrospective study of pts diagnosed with STS or BS referred to All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi between January 2021 and December 2022. Histopathological discrepancies were noted as change of primary dx or differences in grading or sarcoma subtyping on pathology review. Surgical and/or medical deviations from standard practise were identified. SPSS 26.0 was used for statistical analysis. Results: 268 pts with median age of 35 years (range 8 months-85 years) and male predominance (n = 140, 52.2%) were included. 121 (45%) pts belonged to adolescent and young age (AYA) group. 163 (61%) pts came from urban/semi-urban background and from a median distance of 90 miles (range 6.2-1587). Median symptom duration prior to referral was 9 months (range 6 months-12 years). Based on biopsy or cytopathological evidence, referred pts included 186 (69.4%) with STS, 73 (27.2%) with BS, 7 with undifferentiated sarcoma (2.6%) and 2 with carcinoma (0.7%). The most common STS (n = 186) were leiomyosarcoma (14%), synovial sarcoma (12%) and liposarcoma (8.3%); BS (n = 73) included osteosarcoma (44%), Ewing sarcoma (44%), chondrosarcoma (9.5%). Molecular and/or germline mutation tests were performed only in 9 of 131 (6.8%) indicated cases before referral. Localized/locally advanced and metastatic stages were found in 94 (35.6%) and 116 (43.2%) resp; rest (21.2%) did not undergo staging work-up outside. Common primary sites were extremity (n = 127, 44.4%), abdomen (n = 71, 24.8%), thorax (n = 24, 8.3%). 125 (43.7%) and 91 (31.8%) pts had undergone surgery and chemotherapy resp outside. 1st line chemotherapy (n = 85) was anthracycline-based (n = 65, 76.4%), ifosfamide-based (n = 6, 7%), gemcitabine-docetaxel (n = 5, 5.8%). 2nd line (n = 29) was gemcitabine +/- docetaxel (n = 7, 24.1%), anthracycline (n = 6, 20.6%), ifosfamide-based (n = 6, 20.6%), pazopanib (n = 6, 20.6%). Pathologic discrepancies found in 87 (30.4%) pts included change of primary diagnosis in 44 (15%), sarcoma subtype variation in 35 (12.2%) and benign disorder misclassified as malignancy in 5 (1.7%) pts. Deviations in chemotherapy (n = 43, 47.2%) included inadequate dose/cycles in 18 (42%), no chemotherapy despite indication in 8 (18.6%), non-standard regimens in 10 (23%) pts. Distance/rural residence did not correlate with pathology/treatment deviations. Conclusions: In this era of precision medicine and targeted oncology, our findings reflect the need for well-equipped diagnostic and treatment facilities. The lack of expert centres catering to pts with sarcomas remains a challenge in developing countries.

Disclaimer

This material on this page is ©2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology, all rights reserved. Licensing available upon request. For more information, please contact licensing@asco.org

Abstract Details

Meeting

2023 ASCO Annual Meeting

Session Type

Publication Only

Session Title

Publication Only: Sarcoma

Track

Sarcoma

Sub Track

Soft Tissue Tumors

Citation

J Clin Oncol 41, 2023 (suppl 16; abstr e23533)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2023.41.16_suppl.e23533

Abstract #

e23533

Abstract Disclosures

Similar Abstracts

Abstract

2021 ASCO Annual Meeting

Pazopanib in the advanced and rare subtypes of soft tissue sarcoma: Russian Sarcoma Group study.

First Author: Anastasia Alekseevna Tararykova

First Author: Ghazal Tansir

Abstract

2023 ASCO Annual Meeting

DCK expression by RNAseq as a potential biomarker of gemcitabine response in sarcoma.

First Author: David A. Liebner