Description

Sarcoma refers to a broad group of cancers that originate in the bones and soft tissues. The soft tissues that connect, support and surround other body structures. The soft tissues include muscle, fat, blood vessels, nerves, tendons and the lining of the joints. The cancer that begins in the soft tissue is called sarcoma of soft tissue.

There are many types of sarcomas. It can happen in many parts of the body. Treatment for sarcoma varies depending on the type of sarcoma, where it is and other factors.

Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of sarcoma include:

  • A lump that can be felt through the skin, which may or may not be painful.
  • Pain in the bones.
  • A bone that is broken with no clear cause, as in the case of minor injury or no injury.
  • Belly pain.
  • The loss of weight.

When to see a doctor

Make an appointment with a doctor or other health care professional for symptoms that worry you.

Causes

It is not clear what causes sarcoma. This type of cancer begins as a growth of the cells in the bones and soft tissues.

Sarcoma occurs when cells develop changes in their DNA. A cell's DNA contains the instructions that tell the cell what to do. In healthy cells, the DNA tells the cells to grow and multiply at a set rate. The DNA also tells the cells to die at a set time.

In cancer cells, changes in DNA gives other instructions. The changes tell cancer cells to grow and multiply quickly. Cancer cells can continue living when healthy cells would die. This makes too many cells.

The cancer cells may form a mass called a tumor. The tumor can grow to invade and destroy healthy body tissue. At the time, cancer cells can break off and spread to other parts of the body. When cancer spreads, it is called metastatic cancer.

Risk factors

Factors that may increase the risk of sarcoma include:

  • Hereditary syndromes. Some of the syndromes that increase the risk of cancer can be passed from parents to children. For example, the syndromes that increase the risk of sarcoma include the Li-Fraumeni syndrome, familial retinoblastoma and neurofibromatosis type 1.
  • Radiation therapy for cancer. Radiation treatment for cancer increases the risk of developing a sarcoma later.
  • The lymphedema. Lymphedema is the swelling that occurs when something blocks or damage to the lymphatic system. Lymphedema increases the risk of a type of sarcoma called angiosarcoma.
  • The exposure to the virus. The virus is called human herpes virus 8 may increase the risk of a type of sarcoma called Kaposi's sarcoma in people with weakened immune systems.

Diagnosis

The Sarcoma diagnosis often begins with a physical exam. This type of cancer occurs in the bones and soft tissues. The tests that you have may depend on the affected part of the body. Other tests may include imaging tests and a procedure to remove a sample of cells for testing.

Physical examination

Your health care professional may ask about your symptoms and your health history. A physical exam can help your health care professional to understand your symptoms and look for other clues that help with your diagnosis.

Imaging tests

Imaging tests make pictures of the inside of the body. The images can help your health care team to understand the size of your sarcoma and where it is.

The imaging tests that you have depends on your condition. Some tests, such as X-rays, are the best to see the bones. Other tests, such as magnetic resonance imaging , are the best to see the connective tissues. Other imaging tests may include ultrasound, CT scan , bone scan, and positron emission tomography scans, also called PET.

Biopsy

A biopsy is a procedure to remove a sample of tissue for testing in a lab. How a healthcare professional collects the biopsy sample depends on where the affected tissue is.

A biopsy for sarcoma can involve the placement of a needle through the skin to obtain the sample. Or it can involve surgery. Sometimes a surgeon biopsied during surgery to remove the cancer.

Treatment

Treatment for sarcoma often involves surgery to remove the cancer. Other treatments for sarcoma may include radiation therapy, ablation therapy, and treatment with medications. Medicines that help to treat the sarcoma include chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy.

What treatments are best for you will depend on the type of sarcoma that you have. Your treatment options may also depend on the location of the cancer in her body, how fast it is growing and whether it has spread to other parts of your body.

Surgery

The goal of surgery for sarcoma is to remove all the cancer cells. Sometimes, surgeons need to remove a limb, such as an arm or a leg, to get all of the cancer. This is called amputation. But surgeons who attempt to save the limb when you can.

Sometimes surgeons can't remove all of the cancer without damage to the nerves, and nearby organs. Then, the surgeons work to remove as much of sarcoma as you can.

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy treats cancer with powerful rays of energy. The energy can come from X-rays, protons or other sources.

For the sarcoma, you may have radiation therapy before, during, or after surgery to remove the cancer.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy treats the cancer with strong medications. Some types of sarcoma are more likely to respond to chemotherapy than others. The professionals of the health, chemotherapy may be used before or after surgery. It may also help treat the sarcoma grows or spreads to other parts of the body.

Targeted therapy

Targeted therapy for cancer is a treatment that uses drugs that attack specific chemicals in cancer cells. By blocking these chemicals, specific treatments can cause cancer cells to die.

Your health care professional may have their sarcoma cells to the test to see if they are likely to respond to targeted therapy drug. Targeted therapy can treat certain types of sarcoma. Can be used if the cancer comes back or spreads.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy for cancer is a treatment with a medication that helps the body's immune system destroys the cancer cells. The immune system fights diseases by attacking the germs and other cells that should not be in the body. Cancer cells survive by hiding from the immune system. Immunotherapy helps the cells of the immune system find and kill cancer cells.

The tests can show if a tumor is likely to respond to immunotherapy. This treatment can help control a sarcoma that has spread to other parts of the body.

Ablation therapy

Ablation is a procedure that is applied to the treatment directly to cancer cells in order to harm them. Some types of ablation power is applied to the cancer cells that causes them to heat up. Procedures that do this include radiofrequency ablation and microwave ablation.

The use of extreme cold to cause damage to the cancer cells is called cryoablation. Sometimes the ablation consists in the use of alcohol to damage cancer cells.

The ablation can be used to treat kaposi when surgery is not an option. It can also be used when the cancer spreads to other parts of the body.

Coping and support

With time, you will find what helps you to deal with the sarcoma diagnosis. Until then, you may find that it helps to:

Learn enough about sarcoma to make decisions about your care

Ask your health care team about your cancer. Ask about the results of tests and treatments that you may have.

If you like, ask about the likely outcome of your condition, call prognosis with and without treatment. As you learn more about cancer, you may feel better about taking treatment decisions.

Keep friends and family close

Strong relationships can help you deal with your cancer. Friends and family can give you the help you need. For example, you can take care of your home, if you're in the hospital. They can serve as emotional support when you feel that your cancer is too much to handle.

Find someone to talk to

Find a good listener who is willing to listen to you talk about your condition. This can be a friend or family member. A counselor, medical social worker, clergy member or cancer support group may also be useful.

Ask your health care team about support groups in your area. In the united States, to search the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society for more information.

Preparing for your appointment

Start by making an appointment with a doctor or other health care professional if you have symptoms that concern you.

Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment.

What you can do

When you make the appointment, ask if there is something that you need to do in advance, such as fasting before having a certain test. Make a list of:

  • Its symptoms, including symptoms that do not seem to be linked to the reason of his appointment, and when they began.
  • Key personal information, including major stresses, recent life changes and family medical history.
  • All medications, vitamins or supplements that you are taking, including the dosage.
  • Questions to ask your health care team.

A family member or a friend with you, if possible, to help you remember the information they give you.

For the sarcoma, some basic questions to ask include:

  • What is likely causing my symptoms?
  • Other that the most likely cause, what are other possible causes of the symptoms?
  • What tests do I need?
  • What is the best course of action?
  • I have other health conditions. How can I manage together?
  • You should see a specialist?
  • Are there brochures or other printed material I can have? What websites do you suggest?

Be sure to ask all the questions that you have.

What to expect from your doctor

Your health care team is likely to ask you questions, such as:

  • Do you have symptoms all the time or come and go?
  • How bad are the symptoms?
  • What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms?
  • What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms?
Symptoms and treatment of Sarcoma