Sarcomas Cancer

Introduction

Sarcomas are rare cancers that develop in the bones and soft tissues, including fat, muscles, blood vessels, nerves, deep skin tissues, and fibrous tissues.Sarcoma is a type of cancer that develops from transformed cells of the area of connective tissue. These tissues consist of bone, cartilage, fat, vascular, or hematopoietic tissues. The occurrence of sarcomas can happen in any of these types of tissues. Sarcoma can develop on any part of your body. And, it is a very different and rare type of cancer.

Types of Sarcoma Cancer

Sarcomas are categorized as soft tissue or bone sarcomas, depending on where they develop in the body.

Soft Tissue Sarcomas : Soft tissue sarcomas originate in the body’s soft tissue and are most commonly found in the arms, legs, chest, or abdomen. Soft tissue tumors can occur in children and adults.
Bone Sarcomas : Bone sarcomas are primary bone tumors, which means that they develop in the bones. They are most commonly diagnosed in children. In addition to osteosarcoma, the most common form of primary bone cancer, there are several other types of bone tumors.

Causes

There are no specific attributable factors that can be linked to causing soft tissue or bone sarcomas.However, there are a few factors that could increase the chances of developing sarcomas.

Risk factor

Certain factors that increase the risk of sarcoma include:

Radiation therapy : Radiation therapy used in the treatment of cancer
Chemical Exposure : Exposure to various chemicals such as dioxins, and vinyl chloride
Viral infection: Viral infection caused by Human Herpesvirus 8
Genetic syndromes: Various inherited syndromes such as familial retinoblastoma may be passed on to the children and increase the risk of sarcoma
Lymphedema of arms and legs

Signs & Symptoms

Some sarcomas may not cause any symptoms until they grow and press on neighboring nerves, organs, or muscles. Their growth may cause pain, a feeling of fullness, or breathing problems.

The most common symptoms of bone sarcomas include the following:

Stomach pain
A feeling of fullness after eating

Fatigue
Vomiting
Weakness
Unexplained weight loss
Blood in stool
Fever
Presence of lump and swelling which is usually painless
Pain if the tumor affects nerves, muscles, or surrounding tissues
Pain in the bones tends to worsen at night.
The patient may limp if the tumor affects the bone of one of the leg
Bone swelling
Pain in the bones tends to worsen at night.

Diagnosis

Since sarcoma is complex and can develop in so many places in the body, it can be difficult to diagnose. However, it is important to have an accurate diagnosis of the type and extent of sarcoma.

The diagnosis includes:

Physical examination: The doctor will perform a comprehensive evaluation for any lump or swelling and ask the patient about the signs and symptoms.

Imaging techniques: Imaging techniques such as Ultrasound, X-ray, PET scan, CT scan, bone scan, and MRI are usually recommended or sarcoma diagnosis
Biopsy: several types of biopsy techniques are used to diagnose sarcoma according to the location of the tumor.
- 1. Fine-needle aspiration
- 2. Core needle
- 3. Incisional
- 4. excisional
Genetic testing: Patients who have a strong history of soft tissue sarcoma in their family are at a higher risk of sarcoma. For these patients, genetic testing plays a major role in early screening. Genetic testing is a procedure in which mutations in a particular gene are identified using modern molecular technologies.

Management

Sarcoma is majorly treated by surgery by removing cancer. However, other treatments are used after or before the surgery. Not all surgery types work on all sarcoma as each one is different based on their situation. Some of the most common treatments for sarcoma:

Surgery : This is the most common treatment for sarcoma. It aims to remove the tumor and some of the normal surrounding tissue. The surgeon will usually take a tissue sample to carry out a biopsy at the same time. This can confirm the exact type of tumor.
Chemotherapy : It's one of the most common ways to treat cancerous cells through drug treatment with the help of chemicals to kill the growing cells. Chemotherapy can help with treatment for some types of sarcoma to stop its growth.
Radiation Therapy : Radiation therapy makes use of ionizing radiation to eradicate cancer cells. It is often used as an adjuvant treatment in support of surgery to further reduce local recurrences of sarcoma.
Immunotherapy : It's a drug treatment that works by strengthening the immune system enough to fight out cancerous cells.

Follow-Up

Follow-up visits for sarcoma are usually scheduled: Every 3 to 6 months for the first 2 to 3 years. Every 6 months for the next 2 years. Once a year after 5 years.

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