Soft tissue sarcoma
What's the scoop?
Soft tissue sarcoma is a group of rare cancers that begins in the soft tissue that surrounds the body's bones and organs such as
- muscle
- joints
- fat
- blood vessels
- nerves
- tendons
- tissues
There are more than 50 types of soft tissue sarcoma, so each one is considered very rare.
What are the types?
Soft tissue sarcomas are classified by the area of the body that they start, and those that are classified in the same area are treated in the same way.
The most common types of soft-tissue sarcoma include muscle tissue, peripheral nerve tissue, joint tissue, blood and lymph vessels and fibrous tissue.
Who's most at risk?
People may have an increased chance of being diagnosed with soft-tissue sarcoma if they have
- certain inherited syndromes from their parents
- had exposure to chemicals such as arsenic or dioxin
- had exposure to radiation
Diagnosis & Treatment
To diagnose soft tissue sarcomas, the medical professional will get an imaging scan such as an x-ray, CT, MRI or PET scan.
If the scan comes back abnormal, the doctor may choose to perform a biopsy in which she will take a sample of tissue from the suspected area.
Treatement for soft tissue sarcomas will depend on where the cancer is, if the cancer has spread and your general health.
Surgery is one of the primary treatments for soft tissue sarcomas. The tumor can be surgically removed with surrounding healthy tissue to remove a majority or all of the cancer.
Chemotherapy or radiation can be used after to make sure any left over cancer cells are destroyed.
There are specific types of radiation that can be used for soft tissue sarcomas based on where they are in the body. These techniques are called
- brachytherapy - tiny beads that let off radiation inserted into the body near the tumor
- 3D conformal radiation therapy - multiple radiation beams in the shape of the tumor
- intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT)
If other treatments aren't working, targeted drug therapy and proton therapy can be used to treat soft tissue sarcomas.
What's the scoop?
Soft tissue sarcoma is a group of rare cancers that begins in the soft tissue that surrounds the body's bones and organs such as
- muscle
- joints
- fat
- blood vessels
- nerves
- tendons
- tissues
There are more than 50 types of soft tissue sarcoma, so each one is considered very rare.
What are the types?
Soft tissue sarcomas are classified by the area of the body that they start, and those that are classified in the same area are treated in the same way.
The most common types of soft-tissue sarcoma include muscle tissue, peripheral nerve tissue, joint tissue, blood and lymph vessels and fibrous tissue.
Who's most at risk?
People may have an increased chance of being diagnosed with soft-tissue sarcoma if they have
- certain inherited syndromes from their parents
- had exposure to chemicals such as arsenic or dioxin
- had exposure to radiation
Diagnosis & Treatment
To diagnose soft tissue sarcomas, the medical professional will get an imaging scan such as an x-ray, CT, MRI or PET scan.
If the scan comes back abnormal, the doctor may choose to perform a biopsy in which she will take a sample of tissue from the suspected area.
Treatement for soft tissue sarcomas will depend on where the cancer is, if the cancer has spread and your general health.
Surgery is one of the primary treatments for soft tissue sarcomas. The tumor can be surgically removed with surrounding healthy tissue to remove a majority or all of the cancer.
Chemotherapy or radiation can be used after to make sure any left over cancer cells are destroyed.
There are specific types of radiation that can be used for soft tissue sarcomas based on where they are in the body. These techniques are called
- brachytherapy - tiny beads that let off radiation inserted into the body near the tumor
- 3D conformal radiation therapy - multiple radiation beams in the shape of the tumor
- intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT)
If other treatments aren't working, targeted drug therapy and proton therapy can be used to treat soft tissue sarcomas.
Symptom list:
Soft tissue sarcoma
Financial support
Not all of us are able to afford the treatment we need. Search your insurance coverage, or check out what charities may be able to offer you for your condition.
p.s. Just because you have insurance, that doesn't mean that charities or other organizations are not able to support you too.
Emotional support
Whether it's a free counseling session or to find someone with a similar diagnosis, these Germie approved charities might be able to help. Click to explore their offerings!