Soft tissue Sarcoma, newly reported on racial disparities
with poor outcome for blacks in the USA.
Soft tissue Sarcoma have been added to the long list of racial disparities in the healthcare system. At the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, a team of Researchers from Duke University, reported on this issue adding to the list of conditions reflecting racial disparity.
It was demonstrated that the treatment of soft tissue sarcoma in black more often will require an amputation because of the size of the lesion at diagnosis and the scanty resources for treatment.
The study demonstrated a poorer survival rate than the one found in the Caucasian population or in any other race.
Alexander Lazarides expressed concerns in the way black patients were treated with soft tissue sarcomas.
In a study where 14067 patients with soft tissue sarcomas were identified between 1998 and 2012, less than 12% were Afro-American but presented with a larger lesion. They were more likely to benefit from an amputation. Ultimately, their 5 years survival rate was also lower than whites because the lesions were higher in grade.
Monika Stafford MD at Cornell Center for Health Equity stressed then the importance to engage blacks in the Healthcare system to benefit from earlier examination and diagnosis.
Black patients were found also more likely uninsured and poorly educated while living in low income area.
Maxime Coles MD