A retrospective epidemiologic study of pediatric fibrosarcomas.

One hundred eighty-two patients with histologically diagnosed fibrosarcoma below the age of 19 yr reported to the End Results Section of the National Cancer Institute before 1971 were analyzed. Race, sex, and age did not significantly affect prognosis. Site of the primary lesion and extent of disease at diagnosis did significantly affect prognosis. Overall 3-yr survival was 80%, and this remained constant over the next 5 yr. Survival of patients with upper extremity lesions exceeded 90%, whereas those with retroperitoneal primary sites had 17% survival. Patients with localized disease at diagnosis had 5-yr survival of 90%, but those with disseminated disease had a median survival of 6 mo, and 22% 1-yr and 5-yr survival.