Prognostic Factors in Head and Neck Sarcomas: Analysis of the SEER Database

Abstract

Objectives:

1) Summarize the epidemiology of sarcomas occurring in the head and neck. 2) Identify prognostic factors for patient survival.

Methods:

Cross-sectional analysis of the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program.

Results:

The SEER 18 database, spanning the years 1973 to 2009, was analyzed. A total of 2134 cases of sarcoma arising in the head and neck were identified, accounting for 3.9% of all sarcomas. Of head and neck sites, the bones of the skull and face were most commonly affected (n = 856), followed by the oral cavity and pharynx (n = 532), nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses (n = 365), and major salivary glands (n = 192). Overall disease-specific 2-, 5-, and 10-year survival rates for head and neck sarcoma were 69.5%, 55.9%, and 49.9%, respectively. On Cox regression analysis, histologic subtype, tumor location, gender, and patient age were found to influence mortality rate significantly (P < 0.05), with male gender and older age portending worse outcomes.

Conclusions:

Sarcomas, a heterogeneous group of malignant mesenchymal tumors, are uncommonly found in the head and neck. This study represents the largest analysis of patients with head and neck sarcoma in the literature and demonstrates the impact of histology, tumor location, age, and gender on overall prognosis.