Background: There is limited data on how demographics, tumor characteristics, and treatment methods affect overall survival in patients with dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP).
Objective: To summarize characteristics of patients with DFSP, assess prognostic factors, and evaluate the impact of treatment modality on their overall survival.
Methods: We investigated DFSP using data for 4451 patients with histologically confirmed cases of DFSP diagnosed between 2000 and 2018 from the 18 US regional registries of the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program.
Results: Older age (P < .001) and large tumor size (P = .006) were significantly associated with worse overall survival in controlled analysis. Older age (P < .050), males (P < .001), non-white race (P < .001), and lower median household income (P < .010) were more likely to present with larger tumor size. Different treatments were associated with patient characteristics. Older age (P < .001), non-white race (P < .032), larger tumor size (P < .001), and head/neck location (P < .001) were associated with patients receiving surgery and radiation instead of surgery only. Additionally, men (P < .021), non-whites (P < .001), lower median household income (P < .001), and larger tumor size (P = .003) were less likely to have Mohs micrographic surgery performed over excision.
Conclusions: Age at presentation and tumor size appeared to be notable prognostic factors. Although treatment modality did not significantly influence patient survival, certain patient characteristics are associated with different treatment modalities.
Keywords: Mohs micrographic surgery; SEER database; dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans; median household income; skin cancer.