what is sarcoma?
Sarcoma is a cancerous tumor found in the bone or connective tissue including fat, muscles, nerves, fibrous tissues, blood vessels or deep skin tissues. There are 50 known types of sarcoma and about 60 percent of all sarcomas are found in the arms and legs, but can grow anywhere. Sarcoma makes up less than one percent of all adult cancers and 20% of pediatric cancers. Approximately 10,000 new cases are diagnosed in the United States each year.
Soft Tissue Sarcoma:
A doctor will prescribe a series of tests based on symptoms. X-ray, CT scan, MRI, bone scan, and PET Scan are frequently used. A biopsy is the most definitive way to diagnose a sarcoma. It is important to seek the expertise of a sarcoma specialist if you think you may have a sarcoma.
Difference between sarcoma and carcinoma
All cancers fall into one of two categories: Carcinoma or Sarcoma. Carcinomas are found in tissues that line the inside of major organs such as the colon, lung or prostate. Sarcomas are found in bone, muscle, cartilage, connective tissues and fat.
What is a bone sarcoma?
A bone sarcoma is a cancer that starts in the bone. There are specific types of bone sarcoma; one of these is osteosarcoma. Another name for this is “primary bone cancer”. This is different from a cancer that started in another organ and then spreads to the bone (metastatic bone cancer). The word ‘osteo’ means ‘bone’. Osteosarcoma starts inside the bone near a joint and can move or metastasize to other places in the body. A combination of surgery and chemotherapy is used to treat this cancer. Some patients may also need radiation treatment.
What is a soft-tissue sarcoma?
Soft tissue sarcoma starts in the soft tissues, not in the bone. These include: fibrous and fat (adipose) tissue, muscle, blood and lymph vessels, and synovial or nerve tissue. Most patients will need surgery, and may also need chemotherapy or radiation therapy, or a combination of both.
What are symptoms of sarcoma?
Symptoms of this type of cancer vary from person to person and depend on how big the tumor is and where it is located. With bone cancer, the most common symptoms are pain and swelling or tenderness. In addition, the cancer may cause bone weakness, leading to fracture even when there has been little or no physical injury (a pathologic fracture). Sometimes a person may feel weak or tired, have a fever, or lose weight. With a soft tissue tumor, the only symptom may be a lump or an area of your body that seems larger than normal.
How is sarcoma diagnosed?
A physical exam by the doctor, X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computerized tomography (CT scan), whole body bone scan, blood work and biopsy are all used to help find a diagnosis. A biopsy is the single most important way to help find the correct diagnosis.
A biopsy can be done in two ways, depending on the size and location of the mass. A needle biopsy can be done in the office or an open biopsy can be done in the operating room. A pathologist (a doctor who studies malignant cells) examines the tissue sample and checks to see if it is cancerous or benign (non-cancerous).
Soft Tissue Sarcoma:
- Legs
- Arms
- Pelvis
- Knee
- Hip
- Upper Arm
- An unusual lump or swelling
- Pain or tenderness of the bone is weakened or tumor is putting pressure on nerves or other neurologic structures
A doctor will prescribe a series of tests based on symptoms. X-ray, CT scan, MRI, bone scan, and PET Scan are frequently used. A biopsy is the most definitive way to diagnose a sarcoma. It is important to seek the expertise of a sarcoma specialist if you think you may have a sarcoma.
Difference between sarcoma and carcinoma
All cancers fall into one of two categories: Carcinoma or Sarcoma. Carcinomas are found in tissues that line the inside of major organs such as the colon, lung or prostate. Sarcomas are found in bone, muscle, cartilage, connective tissues and fat.
What is a bone sarcoma?
A bone sarcoma is a cancer that starts in the bone. There are specific types of bone sarcoma; one of these is osteosarcoma. Another name for this is “primary bone cancer”. This is different from a cancer that started in another organ and then spreads to the bone (metastatic bone cancer). The word ‘osteo’ means ‘bone’. Osteosarcoma starts inside the bone near a joint and can move or metastasize to other places in the body. A combination of surgery and chemotherapy is used to treat this cancer. Some patients may also need radiation treatment.
What is a soft-tissue sarcoma?
Soft tissue sarcoma starts in the soft tissues, not in the bone. These include: fibrous and fat (adipose) tissue, muscle, blood and lymph vessels, and synovial or nerve tissue. Most patients will need surgery, and may also need chemotherapy or radiation therapy, or a combination of both.
What are symptoms of sarcoma?
Symptoms of this type of cancer vary from person to person and depend on how big the tumor is and where it is located. With bone cancer, the most common symptoms are pain and swelling or tenderness. In addition, the cancer may cause bone weakness, leading to fracture even when there has been little or no physical injury (a pathologic fracture). Sometimes a person may feel weak or tired, have a fever, or lose weight. With a soft tissue tumor, the only symptom may be a lump or an area of your body that seems larger than normal.
How is sarcoma diagnosed?
A physical exam by the doctor, X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computerized tomography (CT scan), whole body bone scan, blood work and biopsy are all used to help find a diagnosis. A biopsy is the single most important way to help find the correct diagnosis.
A biopsy can be done in two ways, depending on the size and location of the mass. A needle biopsy can be done in the office or an open biopsy can be done in the operating room. A pathologist (a doctor who studies malignant cells) examines the tissue sample and checks to see if it is cancerous or benign (non-cancerous).
