A soft tissue sarcoma is a cancer that grows in the soft tissues of the body, such as muscle, connective tissue, or fat. This kind of cancer can grow in the soft tissue of any part of the body. It often grows in the legs or arms. It is unusual and occurs equally in men and women.
Sarcomas tend to metastasize (spread) through the bloodstream. When a tumor spreads, it releases cancer cells that travel through the bloodstream and lodge in other parts of the body (usually the lungs), where the cells begin to grow new tumors.
The cause of sarcomas is not known. However, people who have had other types of cancer in the past seem to have a greater risk of developing a sarcoma. Having radiation treatment to an area when you were young leads, in rare cases, to another sarcoma in the same area. One type of skin sarcoma, called Kaposi's sarcoma, is common in people with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
The most common sign of sarcoma is a lump. Depending on the site of the cancer, it may or may not cause pain.
Your healthcare provider will ask about your medical history and your symptoms and will examine you. You may also have these tests:
Treatment of sarcoma may include:
If the tumor is large and it is necessary to remove a lot of tissue and skin around the tumor, your surgeon may use skin grafts from another part of your body to cover the area.
The chance of cure varies, depending on:
The chance of curing a sarcoma increases if it is found and treated early. Report any abnormal thickening or lump in any part of your body to your healthcare provider as soon as possible.
After treatment your provider will recommend regular checkups for at least 2 years. It is important to follow your provider's recommendations so that any recurrence can be found and treated as early as possible.
