A soft tissue sarcoma is a rare type of cancer that generally forms as a painless lump (tumour) in any one of these soft tissues. It can develop anywhere in the body, but most commonly in the thigh, shoulder, arm, pelvis and abdomen. There are more than 70 types of soft tissue sarcoma.
Soft tissue sarcoma is a serious illness that can be successfully treated if diagnosed before it spreads. Overall, approximately 65% of adults treated for soft tissue sarcoma are alive five years after treatment.
A biopsy is the only way to tell for sure if you have cancer. In a biopsy, the doctor takes out a small piece of the lump to check it for cancer cells. Tests will also be done to find out what type of sarcoma it is. There are different ways to do a biopsy.
Sarcomas are cancers that develop in mesenchymal cells, which make up both your bones and soft tissues, such as muscles, tendons, and blood vessels. Cancer happens when cells start to divide uncontrollably and spread to other tissues. This creates masses called tumors.
Soft-tissue sarcoma usually looks like a rounded mass beneath the skin surface. The skin is usually unaffected. The mass may be soft or firm. If the mass is deep, the arm or leg may appear larger or fuller than the other side.
Sarcoma is a rare cancer that starts in connective tissues such as bone, cartilage, and muscle. It develops when the cells that make up these tissues (called mesenchymal cells) begin to grow out of control. Some types of sarcoma are found in children, while others are more common in adults.
A sign of soft tissue sarcoma is a lump or swelling in soft tissue of the body. A sarcoma may appear as a painless lump under the skin, often on an arm or a leg. Sarcomas that begin in the abdomen may not cause signs or symptoms until they get very big.
A sarcoma is considered stage IV when it has spread to distant parts of the body. Stage IV sarcomas are rarely curable. But some patients may be cured if the main (primary) tumor and all of the areas of cancer spread (metastases) can be removed by surgery. The best success rate is when it has spread only to the lungs.
Depending on the type and stage of sarcoma, chemotherapy may be given as the main treatment or as an adjuvant (addition) to surgery. Different types of sarcoma respond better to chemo than others and also respond to different types of chemo.
If the sarcoma is found at an early stage and has not spread from where it started, surgical treatment is often very effective and many people are cured. However, if the sarcoma has spread to other parts of the body, treatment can usually control the tumor but not cure it.
The most common locations are the hip, knee, ankle, and shoulder. This tumor is more common in children and young adults, but it can occur in older people. Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) was once called malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH).
The most common presenting feature for patients with bone sarcoma was deep pain (88%), reported as worsening in 41%. There are of course many reasons for musculoskeletal pain. Nevertheless, pain that is worsening, in particular, should be investigated.
Surgery if sarcoma has spread
If the sarcoma has spread to distant sites (like the lungs or other organs), all of the cancer will be removed if possible. That includes the original tumor plus the areas of spread. If it isn't possible to remove all of the sarcoma, then surgery may not be done at all.
The Most Common Subtypes of Sarcoma
Osteosarcoma – Develops in cells that form bones. Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) – Develops in the skin. Fibrosarcoma (fibroblastic sarcoma) – Develops in fibrous tissue.
The exact cause of sarcoma is not well understood. However, scientists believe that, as with many other cancers, sarcomas can develop from mutations in the DNA that affect the genes that regulate cell growth. These mutations may be passed down from parents or acquired during an individual's lifetime.
The frequency of soft tissue sarcomas increases with age: these tumors develop mainly in adults around the age of 50, but may occur at any age, and 10% of patients are children and adolescents.
Some stage 4 sarcomas may be cured if both their primary tumor and all the areas where their cancer has spread can be removed by surgery. This is most likely to be successful when the cancer's spread is only in the lungs.
In general, the prognosis for a soft tissue sarcoma is poorer if the sarcoma is large. As a general rule, high-grade soft tissue sarcomas over 10 cm in diameter have an approximate 50% mortality rate and those over 15 cm in diameter have an approximate 75% mortality rate.
Synovial sarcoma symptoms develop over time. Tumors can grow undetected for as long as two years.
Around 65 out of 100 people (around 65%) with angiosarcoma of the breast will survive their cancer for 5 years or more after diagnosis. Around 10 out of 100 people (around 10%) with vascular sarcoma in an organ such as the liver or stomach, survive their cancer for 5 years or more after they are diagnosed.
A soft tissue sarcoma lump on the outside of the body can appear suddenly as a rounded mass beneath the skin, usually on your arm, leg, chest, or torso. It can be soft or firm and grows noticeably bigger in weeks and months after it is first discovered.
This guidance states that any lump that is larger than 5 cm, deep to the fascia, increasing in size or is painful has to be considered to be malignant until proved otherwise.
If a sarcoma is not treated, the cells continue to divide and the sarcoma will grow in size. The growth of the sarcoma causes a lump in the soft tissues. This can cause pressure on any body tissues or organs nearby. Sarcoma cells from the original area may break away.