Ewing's sarcoma epidemiology and demographics


 * Assistant Editor(s)-In-Chief: Michael Maddaleni, B.S.

Epidemiology and Demographics
The frequency in the United States depends on the patient's age, with a rate of 0.3 case per 1,000,000 children in those younger than 3 years of age to as high as 4.6 cases per 1,000,000 in adolescents aged 15-19 years. Internationally the annual incidence rate averages less than 2 cases per 1,000,000 children. In the United Kingdom an average of six children per year are diagnosed, mainly males in early stages of puberty.

Ewing's sarcoma is more common in males and usually presents in childhood or early adulthood, with a peak between 10 and 20 years of age.

Due to the prevalence of diagnosis during teenage years, there may possibly be a link between the onset of puberty and the early stages of this disease, although no research is currently being conducted to confirm this theory.

Ewing's sarcoma is the second most frequent bone sarcoma in patients younger than 20. The most frequent is osteosarcoma.

Demographics
Caucasians more frequently develop Ewing's sarcoma than Asians. Also, African Americans and Africans rarely suffer from this disease. There was a study done between 1973 and 1985, and out of 650 cases only three of them were from African descent.

There are approximately 225 new diagnoses of Ewing's sarcoma in North America/year.