New research published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology sheds light on the growing prevalence of systemic mastocytosis (SM), revealing a steady increase in diagnoses in the United States over the past two decades. The study also found an increased risk of cancer among those with SM.
The researchers analyzed data from the National Cancer Institute’s SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results) database on cases of SM diagnosed between 2000 and 2021. They found the age-adjusted incidence rate of the rare blood disorder is now 0.1 per 100,000 adults, with diagnoses increasing over the past two decades.
While men and women experience SM at similar rates, the incidence rate is higher among non-Hispanic whites (0.1 cases per 100,000) compared to Hispanic (0.04) and Black individuals (0.02), the researchers found.
Read more about SM prognosis
When it comes to survival rates, women with SM fare significantly better than men with the disease. Age also was found to play a role, with older adults experiencing decreased survival. According to the study, every five-year increase in age is associated with a 55% higher risk of mortality with SM. Other factors such as race, ethnicity, income and whether a patient lived in a metropolitan area did not significantly impact survival.
The study also noted a high rate of second primary malignancies among individuals with SM, with 14% of those in the study going on to develop another form of cancer. Of these, nearly half developed another hematologic malignancy, and 34% were diagnosed with two or more additional cancers. Older patients were particularly affected, with the risk of developing a second primary malignancy increasing by 1.23 for every five-year increase in age.
The researchers say that more research needs to be done to better understand the health risks and outcomes for people living with SM. “The risk of a second primary malignancy is particularly elevated in these patients and represents a focus for clinical intervention and future studies,” they concluded.
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