Things to Know About Sarcoma

What is sarcoma?

Sarcoma is a rare cancer affecting cells in soft tissue and bone. It occurs in muscles, nerves, blood vessels, and cartilage. Only 1% of people that have cancer are diagnosed with sarcoma. In America, around 12,000 people are diagnosed with this type of cancer yearly.

The term “sarcoma” includes over 100 tumors, which differ in their growth behavior and prognosis. It is vital to know the type of tumor to provide the correct treatment.

Benign and non-aggressive soft-tissue tumors do not grow or spread in size. Malignant tumors, on the other hand, develop into nearby areas and even distant organs.

For example, sarcoma can start in one arm and can travel to another area like the pelvis or liver.

Soft tissue tumors

The most common areas affected by this type of cancer are:

The quickness and unpredictability of this cancer are what makes it so dangerous. It begins in blood vessels, cartilages, muscle fat, or fibrous tissues and spreads quickly to nearby areas or distant organs if not treated on time. Yet, if the tumor is detected on time, there is a higher probability of recovery.

Bone tumors

Sarcoma bone cancer starts in the cartilage or bone and can spread to other nearby or distant parts of the body. When a person is diagnosed with sarcoma in the bones, it’s usually a malignant tumor, and the treatment differs from soft tissue sarcoma. This difference is the main distinction between sarcoma and metastases (it begins in an organ and then spreads into the bones).

Chondrosarcoma, Osteosarcoma, and Ewing’s sarcoma are the most common cancer types affecting the bones.

Osteosarcoma and Osteosarcoma are common in children and teenagers. Ewing’s sarcoma is common in adults over 50.

What are symptoms of sarcoma?

One of the dangers of sarcoma is that sometimes there might be no symptoms but this varies depending on the location or type of sarcoma.

The tumor starts as a painless lump. It can swell, and as it grows, it will become painful because the nerves in the affected area are displaced. Further symptoms include tightness in the muscle or tissue. These symptoms make it easier to spot because they are on the surface of a visible area (an arm, for example).

Bone sarcoma, however, causes intense pain in the affected bone and can even cause bone fracture if the tumor swells a lot. It’s more challenging to detect when this disease occurs in internal organs such as the stomach and liver. 

If you or someone you know experiences swellings with the following characteristics, it needs to be checked by a doctor immediately.

Diagnosis and treatment for sarcoma

The easiest way to diagnose it is through Biopsy (removal of a tissue to use as a sample) or computed tomography or MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging). Surgery is the best treatment because it extracts the tumor directly and prevents its expansion. Nevertheless, it’s not always the solution, nor does it always remove all of the cancer. The tumor’s stage, size, and location will give the correct treatment.

Bone sarcoma has a different treatment. The method involves:

Doctors will determine how to proceed if the methods above are not effective for the patient.

How can Signature Health Services help?

Patients with sarcoma will need therapy and assistance during recovery to help with specific tasks. At Signature Health Services, we have the best-skilled nurses in Texas to provide comfort, support, consistency, and a quicker journey towards recovery.

Learn more about our services here.