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The occurrence and pattern of head and neck sarcomas: a comprehensive cancer center experience

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Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to analyze the demographics, clinicopathological, treatment, and survival characteristics of head and neck sarcomas diagnosed in a reference center in the Brazilian Northeast.

Materials and methods

This retrospective cohort study reviewed the clinical records of patients with head and neck sarcomas. Epidemiologic data consisted in clinical location, age, gender, histopathological diagnosis, clinical TNM staging and treatment. Outcome variables were local recurrence and survival. The statistical analyses were performed by a binary logistic regression analysis. The survival analysis was assessed through the Kaplan–Meier curve.

Results

Sixty-nine patients with head and neck sarcomas (male 39; female 30) were analyzed. The most common histologic subtypes were rhabdomyosarcoma, dermatofibrosarcoma, and pleomorphic sarcoma. The mean age of the patients at the time of diagnosis was 38.1 years old. A total of 31 patient died (sarcoma-related death) up to the end of the follow-up, with a mean follow-up rate of 1.63 years. A multivariate analysis revealed that anatomical site, treatment modality, histopathological diagnosis, and clinical stage of the disease were associated with specific survival, reaching statistical significance.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates the impact of important clinical–pathological parameters on the overall prognosis of head and neck sarcomas.

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Funding

This study was supported by the Postgraduate Program in Oral Pathology of UFRN and by the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) (Grant number 001). RAF and LBS are Research Productivity Fellow of the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Oral Pathology, Federal University of Rio Grande Do Norte, Av. Senador Salgado Filho, 1787, Lagoa Nova, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, CEP 59056-000, Brazil

    Deborah Gondim Lambert Moreira, Leorik Pereira da Silva, Everton Freitas de Morais, Salomão Israel Monteiro Lourenço Queiroz, Edilmar de Moura Santos, Lélia Batista de Souza & Roseana de Almeida Freitas

Authors
  1. Deborah Gondim Lambert Moreira
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  2. Leorik Pereira da Silva
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  3. Everton Freitas de Morais
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  4. Salomão Israel Monteiro Lourenço Queiroz
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  5. Edilmar de Moura Santos
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  6. Lélia Batista de Souza
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  7. Roseana de Almeida Freitas
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Roseana de Almeida Freitas.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Ethical approval

This study was approved by the Norteriograndense Cancer League Research Ethics Committee (CEP/LNRCG) under No. 2,011,879.

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Moreira, D.G.L., da Silva, L.P., de Morais, E.F. et al. The occurrence and pattern of head and neck sarcomas: a comprehensive cancer center experience. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 277, 1473–1480 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-020-05834-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-020-05834-x

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