Prognostic analysis and clinical characteristics of osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma of the rib, sternum, and clavicle: a SEER-based study

OBJECTIVE: Osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma of the rib, sternum, and clavicle are rare tumor entities, and their clinical features and treatment outcomes have been rarely reported. The present study was performed to evaluate their survival and confirm independent survival predictors. METHODS: Data on patients with osteosarcoma or Ewing sarcoma of the rib, sternum, and clavicle from 1973 to 2016 were retrospectively extracted from the database. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to determine the independent risk factors. Kaplan–Meier survival curves were applied to examine the prognostic difference between the groups. RESULTS: In total, 475 patients with osteosarcoma or Ewing sarcoma of the rib, sternum, and clavicle were eligible for this study, including 173 (36.4%) with osteosarcoma and 302 (63.6%) with Ewing sarcoma. The 5-year overall survival and cancer-specific survival rates of all patients were 53.6% and 60.8%, respectively. Six independent variables were identified, including age at diagnosis, sex, histological grade, metastatic status, tumor type, and surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical resection is a reliable treatment for osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma of the rib, sternum, and clavicle. Further research is needed to reconfirm the role of chemotherapy and radiotherapy in survival of these patients.