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Sarcoma

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What are sarcomas?

What are sarcomas?

Sarcomas are a form of cancer that begins in the soft tissues of the body or bones. Soft tissue sarcomas develop in fat, muscle, connective tissue, nerve sheaths, and blood vessels, while bone sarcomas form in the bones.

Sarcoma is rare, making up for less than 1% of all types of cancer in adults and approximately 15% in children.

They are often quite challenging to treat successfully, which is why specialized care is provided by doctors with sarcoma expertise is essential.

Sarcoma vs. carcinoma

Sarcomas and carcinomas are both types of cancer. Differences between the conditions include:

  • Carcinomas are the most common type of cancer
  • Carcinomas begin in the tissues that secrete mucus and fluids or in the tissues that form the inner lining of organs — colon and bladder, for example
  • Carcinomas are more common in adults than in children; sarcomas, while rare, occur more frequently in children than in adults

Sarcomas and carcinomas do share some similarities:

  • Both are malignant cancers and can spread throughout the body
  • They can occur in any age group. Although, sarcomas are more prevalent in young people while carcinomas are more frequent in people over 50.
  • Both sarcomas and carcinomas can often be treated with surgery

Stages of sarcoma

Stages

Stage: Cancer staging refers to the size and grade of the tumor and whether it has spread to nearby lymph nodes (which is uncommon with sarcomas) or distant organs. Cancer that has spread beyond its site of origin and into other parts of the body is called metastatic cancer.

Grade: The grade helps determine the stage of cancer based on cell features examined under a microscope. Sarcomas are graded on a scale of G1 to G3, with high-grade tumors tending to grow faster and spread more aggressively than low-grade tumors.  

Grade is determined by three factors: differentiation (how much the sarcoma cells look like normal cells), mitotic count (how rapidly the cells are dividing), and tumor necrosis (the amount of dead or dying tissue inside a tumor).

Signs & symptoms of sarcoma

Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of sarcoma vary depending on tumor location.

  • Soft-Tissue Lump or Mass: In cases of soft tissue sarcoma, the most common symptoms are lumps or masses. They are often painless, at least initially, and found under the skin of the arms, legs, torso, or abdomen. It’s also important to note that the majority of lumps and masses that people experience are not sarcomas.
  • Bone Pain or Fractures: For bone sarcoma, symptoms often include a persistent, deep ache in your bones. This pain often worsens at night and during activity and can interfere with mobility. It can also be accompanied by joint stiffness and swelling, as well as unexplained fractures or fractures from a minor injury.
  • Pressure on Organs: Retroperitoneal and/or GI sarcomas can press on or potentially grow into nearby organs. This may cause symptoms such as abdominal pain, feelings or fullness, or unexplained weight loss.

Types of sarcomas

Types

Since there are over 80 different subtypes of sarcoma, determining which subtype of sarcoma you have is crucial. This allows doctors to predict how the cancer will behave and which treatments are most likely to be effective. For instance, while most sarcomas will require surgery at some point in the course of treatment, some sarcomas are very sensitive to chemotherapy. Some sarcomas grow slowly, while others are aggressive and fast-growing.

Soft tissue sarcoma subtypes are: 

  • Liposarcoma 
  • Leiomyosarcoma 
  • Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) 
  • Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma 
  • Myxofibrosarcoma 
  • Synovial sarcoma 
  • Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) 
  • Retroperitoneal sarcomas 

Other soft tissue tumors may behave differently. These include: 

  • Desmoid-like fibromatosis 
  • Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans (DFSP) 
  • Superficial (cutaneous) sarcomas 

The most common bone sarcoma subtypes are: 

  • Osteosarcoma 
  • Chondrosarcomas 
  • Ewing sarcoma

What causes sarcoma?

Causes

There are no specific known causes for the vast majority of sarcomas. Cancer develops when mutations occur in the DNA of healthy cells, causing them to divide, grow, and spread. These abnormal cells can form tumors which can potentially metastasize throughout the body.

Risk factors

Risk factors

While anyone at any age can develop a sarcoma, there are underlying risk factors that can increase your chances of developing the condition, including:

  • Radiation therapy treatment - Cancer patients who previously have had radiation therapy can be at higher risk for developing sarcomas
  • Frequent exposure to toxic chemicals - Particularly herbicides and other industrial chemicals
  • Family history - If close family members have been diagnosed with sarcomas, your chances of developing it are higher
 

This content has been reviewed by the following medical editors.

Russell S. Berman, MD, FACS

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If you suspect you have sarcoma symptoms or have underlying risk factors for developing the condition, contact one of our cancer professionals for a consultation.