EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STATUS OF SOFT TISSUE SARCOMAS IN THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN IN 2013-2023

Relevance: Soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) are rare, aggressive malignant neoplasms that arise from mesenchymal tis-sues. They account for no more than 1% of all malignant tumors, can develop at any age, and are more common in mid-dle-aged and older people.The study aimed to obtain a complete epidemiological picture of soft tissue sarcomas in the Republic of Kazakhstan for 11 years, including data analysis for 2023. It considered various parameters such as age, gender, ethnicity, region, and tumor type.Methods: The presented study included all patients registered in the national cancer registry of Kazakhstan from 2013 to 2023, with a diagnosis of STS (ICD-10 code: C49). The number of STS cases is presented as absolute crude rates per 100,000 population. Standardized morbidity and mortality rates were calculated using the World standard.Results: From 2013 to 2023, 4697 cases of STS were reported, with an average increase in incidence of 13%. The STS incidence was 2.4 cases per 100 thousand population. In terms of prevalence among other types of cancer, STSs ranked 19th in incidence and 18th in mortality and were not among the top 10 causes of mortality and morbidity. The incidence rate of STS for both sexes was 2.1 per 100 thousand population; mortality was 0.8 per 100 thousand popula-tion. Morbidity and mortality were higher among men compared to women by 30% and 35%, respectively. Peaks in the incidence of STS were observed in the age groups 55-64 years (23.6% of cases) and 65-74 years (24%). Mortality from STS was observed in the age groups 55-64 years (24.3% of cases) and 65-74 years (17.5%).Conclusion: STSs are varied, and their diagnosis can be difficult in the early stages. The increasing incidence with age, especially in middle-aged people, emphasizes the importance of active prevention and early diagnosis in older peo-ple.