Comprehensive analysis of the survival outcomes and causes of death among patients diagnosed with myeloid sarcoma in the United States from 2000 to 2016: A retrospective SEER-based study

Myeloid sarcoma (MS) is a rare hematological malignancy characterized as an extramedullary tumor mass of neoplastic myeloid blasts that may involve various anatomical sites and affect their tissue structure. Given that MS is very rare, there is insufficient knowledge regarding its clinical features and no well-established therapeutic guidelines. We conducted a retrospective study of MS patients diagnosed between 2000 and 2016 using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. We studied survival outcomes across different demographic and therapeutic subgroups. We also investigated the causes of death among our aimed cohort of patients. We found that between 2000 and 2016, 573 MS cases were reported in SEER 17 registries. Most patients were males (57.9%), and 55.1% were 60 or older. Most were non-Hispanic white (67.7%) and married (47.8%). Almost 61.4% were diagnosed with MS as their first primary tumor and 51.3% had only 1 tumor. In terms of treatment, 51.1% received chemotherapy, 26.2% underwent radiation therapy, and 13.6% had surgical management. The relative survival rate for MS patients in the United States is quite low, with a 3-year relative survival rate of 43.4%, declining to 39.0% at 5 years. Treatment with chemotherapy or surgical management has shown better survival outcomes. The primary cause of death is malignant diseases, particularly leukemias. Most deaths occur within the first year of diagnosis, with the risk gradually declining over time. MS is a rare malignant disease with a poor prognosis. Age and tumor location at diagnosis are important factors affecting survival. Chemotherapy is the most common treatment and has been found to improve survival. Most deaths in MS cases are due to malignant diseases, particularly leukemias. Future prospective studies are required to provide more significant outcomes and create targeted management regimens to enhance survival.