Sex Differences in Soft Tissue Sarcoma: Incidence, Clinicopathological Profile, Survival, and Costs

Prices and Trends in FDA-Approved Medications for Sarcomas

Sarcomas represent a diverse set of both malignant and benign subtypes consisting of often rare and ultra-rare conditions. Over the course of the last decade, there have been numerous FDA approvals for agents treating various sarcoma subtypes. Given this burgeoning landscape of sarcoma treatments, we seek to review current FDA-approved agents with respect to their rates of incidence, approval rates, and financial costs. We gathered clinical trial data by searching FDA approval announcements from 2013 to 2023. We determined the 30 day and one year cost of therapy for patients of FDA-approved sarcoma treatments in the aforementioned timeframe. From 2013 to 2023, 14 medications have been FDA-approved for sarcoma subtypes. The 30-day dosing prices for these medications range from $11,162.86 to $46,926.00. Since 2013, the rates of approval for sarcoma medications have been higher than in prior decades. Nonetheless, there remains the potential for significant financial toxicity for patients living with sarcoma.

Combining nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel with camrelizumab in advanced soft tissue sarcoma: activity, safety, and future perspectives

Background: It is still uncertain whether Nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-paclitaxel) and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitor have synergistic effects on metastatic soft tissue sarcomas (STSs). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and activity of nab-paclitaxel plus camrelizumab (a PD-1 inhibitor) in patients with advanced STS who had previously failed chemotherapy. Methods: In this single-center, open-label, single-arm phase II clinical trial, patients with advanced (unresectable or metastatic) STS who had previously failed chemotherapy received up to six cycles of nab-paclitaxel plus camrelizumab, whereas camrelizumab treatment was continued for up to 1 year. The median progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR) and safety were collected and evaluated. Results: This trial included 40 patients (28 men and 12 women). The overall ORR was 22.5%, and the median PFS was 1.65 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3-2.0 months). Patients with epithelioid sarcoma demonstrated a longer PFS compared with those with other histological subtypes (2.3 months vs. 1.5 months, respectively); however, this difference was not significant. Patients who had received only one line of previous chemotherapy had a significantly longer PFS compared with those who had undergone two or more lines of previous chemotherapy (2.8 months vs. 1.3 months, respectively, p = 0.046). In terms of safety, the toxicity of this combination therapy is mild and no serious adverse events have occurred. Conclusion: Nab-paclitaxel plus camrelizumab exhibited modest activity and mild toxicity in treating epithelioid sarcoma, angiosarcoma, and fibrosarcoma. The overall effectiveness of this treatment regimen for advanced STS is relatively low. Further research on combining nab-paclitaxel with effective drugs, including chemotherapy and targeted agents, for these specific STS subtypes is needed.