Increasing incidence rates of soft tissue sarcomas? A population-based epidemiologic study and literature review

Increasing incidence rates of soft tissue sarcomas (STS) have been reported. In the present study, the authors have analyzed the incidence of STS in Austria in a population-based study for the period 1984-2004.

Age-adjusted incidence rates, gender and age predilection and geographic differences were analyzed, comprising data from the Austrian National Cancer Registry.

A total of 5333 cases were registered; male-to-female ratio was 0.8. The most common histotypes were sarcoma not otherwise specified (36%), leiomyosarcoma (24%), liposarcoma (12%), malignant fibrous histiocytoma (9%) and fibrosarcoma (5%). Age-adjusted incidence rate was 2.4 per 100,000 per year. Analysis of annual incidence rates and 3-year periods showed no increase (annual increasing gradient = -0.0025).

This study has analyzed the most recent data from a European population in comparison with seven international studies. An increase, as postulated elsewhere, could not be confirmed. The incidence rate of STS in Austria ranges in the lower half of the international incidence rates (1.8-5.0 per 100,000 per year). Different inclusion criteria (Kaposi's sarcoma and dermatofibrosarcoma) and classifications in the various studies explain the increase of incidence in some studies rather than true increase of STS due to new or accumulated risk factors.