From the journals: sarcoma around the world

PEDIATRIC SOFT TISSUE AND BONE SARCOMAS IN TANZANIA: In this retrospective review, investigators documented the epidemiologic and clinical features of pediatric sarcomas in the largest pediatric oncology center in Tanzania—Muhimbili National Hospital. Their objective in collecting the data was to compare the results with those of other countries and ultimately prioritize treatment protocols and resources for the more common pediatric sarcomas in Tanzania. Prior to this study, no data existed on the frequency and types most commonly seen in the country.

Between 2011 and 2016, the investigators collected information on 135 pediatric cases seen at the hospital. Eighty-nine cases (66%) were soft tissue sarcomas (STS) and 46 (34%) were bone sarcomas. Most patients, they reported, presented with a painless swelling.

Investigators found that, as in other countries, embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma accounted for the majority (75%) of all sarcomas seen in this study and osteosarcoma accounted for most (87%) bone sarcomas. However, unlike pediatric sarcomas in other countries, few cases of Ewing sarcoma were diagnosed during the study period.

An important disparity between Tanzania and other countries is that most patients in Tanzania present with advanced- stage disease, when the possibility of curative therapy is vastly reduced. Investigators found the lung to be the most common site of distant metastasis.

Other clinical and tumor characteristics reported in this study included:

• Slight female predominance (51%)
• Mean age, 6.3 years
• 42% of STS patients were younger than 5 years (n = 37)
• 46% of bone sarcoma patients were 10 to 15 years old (n = 21)
• Head and neck were the most common sites for STS
• Extremities were the most common sites for bone sarcomas
• Most patients presented with large tumors (>5 cm for STS and >8 cm for bone sarcomas).

The investigators believe these findings and others they reported will help them adapt treatment protocols used in Europe and America so that they will be most appropriate for their patients.

SOURCE: Siwillis EM, Dharse NJ, Scanlan T, et al. Pediatric soft tissue and bone sarcomas in Tanzania: Epidemiology and clinical features. J Glob Oncol. 2019;5:1-6.