What is soft tissue sarcomas?

A soft tissue sarcoma is a growth of abnormal cells in the body's soft tissues. These tissues include the muscles, lymph and blood vessels, nerves, and fat. It can also include cartilage and other connective tissue. When cancer cells are found in the tissue, the tumor is called malignant.

Sarcoma is another name for a malignant soft tissue tumor. Sarcomas can spread to other parts of the body, like the lungs.

You may feel a swelling or lump near the tumor. Or you may feel pain or have trouble breathing if the tumor grows large enough to press against nerves or organs inside your body.

Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms and past health and will examine you. If your doctor can feel a lump or mass in the soft tissue, or if you have other symptoms, you will get some tests. The tests can find out if it's cancer. They can also help your doctor figure out the best treatment for the tumor.

Your doctor may also find a tumor when taking X-rays or other images for another problem.

• You may have one or more imaging tests to get a better look at the tumor. These may include:
  • X-rays.
  • Ultrasound.
  • CT scan.
  • MRI scan.
  • PET or other nuclear scan.
• You may need blood tests and other lab work.
• You may need a biopsy so that a sample of the tumor can be looked at under a microscope. This sample may also be used to test for biomarkers, which will help with planning treatment.
• Doctors may also examine other parts of your body to make sure that the tumor hasn't spread.

The doctor may talk to you about what "stage" your cancer is. The stage refers to how large the tumor is and how far it has spread. It also includes the tumor grade, which describes what the cancer cells look like and how likely they are to grow and spread.

These can help the doctor find out what type of treatment you may need. And they may help to find a clinical trial that has treatments for your type of cancer.

Treatment for a soft tissue sarcoma is based on the stage, type, and location of the cancer and other things, such as your overall health. The main treatments include:

Surgery.

You'll probably have surgery to remove the cancer.

Radiation therapy.

This uses high-dose X-rays to destroy cancer cells and shrink tumors. It may be used before, during, or after surgery.

Chemotherapy.

These medicines kill fast-growing cells, including cancer cells and some normal cells.

In some cases, other treatments may be used, such as:

Targeted therapy.

These medicines target cancer cells and may cause less harm to normal cells. They help keep cancer from growing or spreading.

Immunotherapy.

This treatment helps your immune system fight cancer. It may be given in several ways.

Sometimes a clinical trial may be a good choice.

Your doctor will talk with you about your options and then make a treatment plan.

Taking medicines as prescribed and getting enough sleep may help you feel better. If it's hard to eat, talk to your doctor or a dietitian. Get some physical activity each day if you can. Consider joining a support group or talking with a counselor.