Effects of marital status on survival of retroperitoneal liposarcomas stratified by age and sex: A population-based study

Background Previous studies have shown that marital status is associated with survival in patients with a variety of cancer types, including lung cancer, prostate cancer, and bladder cancer. However, to date, the impact of marital status on the survival of patients with retroperitoneal liposarcomas (RPLs) has not been established. Methods A total of 1211 eligible patients diagnosed with RPLs were identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. The relationships between marital status and survival in patients with RPLs were assessed. Patients were stratified by age to determine whether an association exists between marital status and age. We also probed the association between marital status and survival in males and females. Results Our findings suggest that divorced, separated, or widowed patients have more advanced cancer stages, and more of these patients do not undergo surgery. Meanwhile, divorced, separated, or widowed patients have worse survival outcomes than married patients (overall survival (OS): HR = 1.66 (95% CI, 1.12, 2.46)); cancer-specific survival (CSS): HR = 1.90 (95% CI, 1.13, 3.19)). OS does not differ between single patients and married patients (HR = 1.21 [95% CI, 0.81, 1.81]) or CSS (HR = 1.36 [95% CI, 0.80, 2.29]). In addition, these results demonstrate that being divorced, separated, or widowed can play a significant detrimental role in mortality in older and female patients. Conclusion Married patients have earlier disease stages at diagnosis and better survival outcomes than divorced, separated, or widowed patients with RPLs. In addition, this effect is especially pronounced in older people and females.