title: Incidence of sarcoma histotypes and molecular subtypes in a prospective epidemiological study with central pathology review and molecular testing.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The exact overall incidence of sarcoma and sarcoma subtypes is not known. The objective of the present population-based study was to determine this incidence in a European region (Rhone-Alpes) of six million inhabitants, based on a central pathological review of the cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From March 2005 to February 2007, pathology reports and tumor blocks were prospectively collected from the 158 pathologists of the Rhone-Alpes region. All diagnosed or suspected cases of sarcoma were collected, reviewed centrally, examined for molecular alterations and classified according to the 2002 World Health Organization classification. Of the 1287 patients screened during the study period, 748 met the criteria for inclusion in the study. The overall crude and world age-standardized incidence rates were respectively 6.2 and 4.8 per 100,000/year. Incidence rates for soft tissue, visceral and bone sarcomas were respectively 3.6, 2.0 and 0.6 per 100,000. The most frequent histological subtypes were gastrointestinal stromal tumor (18%; 1.1/100,000), unclassified sarcoma (16%; 1/100,000), liposarcoma (15%; 0.9/100,000) and leiomyosarcoma (11%; 0.7/100,000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The observed incidence of sarcomas was higher than expected. This study is the first detailed investigation of the crude incidence of histological and molecular subtypes of sarcomas.
authors.affiliation: Université de Lyon, Cancer Centre Leon Berard, EA 4129, Lyon, France. ducimeti@lyon.fnclcc.fr
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ducimetière
authors.forename: Antoine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lurkin
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ranchère-Vince
authors.forename: Anne-Valérie
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Decouvelaere
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Péoc'h
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Istier
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chalabreysse
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Muller
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Alberti
authors.forename: Pierre-Paul
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Bringuier
authors.forename: Jean-Yves
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Scoazec
authors.forename: Anne-Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Schott
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bergeron
authors.forename: Dominic
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cellier
authors.forename: Jean-Yves
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Blay
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ray-Coquard
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult