Volume 131, Issue 7 pp. 1431-1438
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Income and Insurance-Based Disparities in Primary Soft Tissue Sarcoma of the Extremities

Charlotte F. Wahle

Corresponding Author

Charlotte F. Wahle

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA

Correspondence: Charlotte F. Wahle ([email protected])

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Sara Sakowitz

Sara Sakowitz

Cardiovascular Outcomes Research Laboratories (CORELAB), University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA

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Nicole J. Newman-Hung

Nicole J. Newman-Hung

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA

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Nicholas M. Bernthal

Nicholas M. Bernthal

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA

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Peyman Benharash

Peyman Benharash

Cardiovascular Outcomes Research Laboratories (CORELAB), University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA

Department of Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA

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Lauren E. Wessel

Lauren E. Wessel

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA

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First published: 08 January 2025

ABSTRACT

Background and Objectives

Soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) are rare but can be devastating. Paradigm shifts in adjuvant treatment have expanded the availability of limb salvage; however, a subset of patients still require amputation. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of patient, disease, and practice-related factors on rates of amputation in STS.

Methods

All adults undergoing resection for STS of the extremities were tabulated from the 2004–2021 National Cancer Database (NCDB). Multivariable models were utilized to evaluate risk factors for undergoing amputation.

Results

Of 31 805 patients, 1880 (6%) underwent amputation. Those who underwent amputation were younger (57 vs. 60, p < 0.001), more commonly Black (12% vs. 9%, p < 0.00), and more frequently Medicaid insured (11% vs. 6%, p < 0.001). Amputation patients experienced a longer time from diagnosis to surgery, compared to limb salvage patients (46 [23–91] vs. 37 days [9–93], p < 0.001). Amputation was associated with a significantly greater hazard of overall mortality over 10 years following resection (HR 1.66, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

We report significant race-, income-, and insurance-based disparities in amputation risk and overall survival for patients with STS of the extremities. We also report a significantly increased risk of amputation for patients with delayed clinical presentation. Multidisciplinary sarcoma care teams should be aware of these disparities.

Conflicts of Interest

Peyman Benharash reports no relevant disclosures. Nicholas Bernthal reports funding from Deciphera Pharm LLC, unrelated to this work. The other authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Data Availability Statement

Data subject to third-party restrictions: The data that support the findings of this study are available from the National Cancer Database (NCDB). The NCDB is a joint project of the Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons and the American Cancer Society. Restrictions apply to the availability of these data, which were used under license for this study. Data are available at https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/cancer/ncdb with the permission of the American College of Surgeons.

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