title: Socio-economic factors affect the outcome of soft tissue sarcoma: an analysis of SEER data.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study analyzed whether socio-economic factors affect the cause specific survival of soft tissue sarcoma (STS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) soft tissue sarcoma (STS) data were used to identify potential socio-economic disparities in outcome. Time to cause specific death was computed with Kaplan-Meier analysis. Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests and Cox proportional hazard analysis were used for univariate and multivariate tests, respectively. The areas under the receiver operating curve were computed for predictors for comparison.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 42,016 patients diagnosed STS from 1973 to 2009. The mean follow up time (S.D.) was 66.6 (81.3) months. Stage, site, grade were significant predictors by univariate tests. Race and rural-urban residence were also important predictors of outcome. These five factors were all statistically significant with Cox analysis. Rural and African-American patients had a 3-4% disadvantage in cause specific survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Socio-economic factors influence cause specific survival of soft tissue sarcoma. Ensuring access to cancer care may eliminate the outcome disparities.
authors: FROS Radiation Oncology Cyberknife Center of New York, NY, USA E-mail : cheung.r100@gmail.com.
authors: Min Rex
authors: MR
authors: Cheung
authors: Josephine
authors: J
authors: Kang
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Ouyang
authors: Vincent
authors: V
authors: Yeung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000368:Aged; D019540:Area Under Curve; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012372:ROC Curve; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018426:SEER Program; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000208:ethnology / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult