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Abstract
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.