Sarcoma

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This blog is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. Content is sourced from third parties, and we do not guarantee accuracy or accept any liability for its use. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical guidance.

What is Sarcoma?

Sarcoma is a rare cancer arising from mesenchymal tissues, including bone, muscle, fat, cartilage, blood vessels, or nerves. It includes over 70 subtypes, grouped as soft tissue sarcomas (STS, 80%, e.g., leiomyosarcoma, liposarcoma) and bone sarcomas (20%, e.g., osteosarcoma, Ewing). In 2025, sarcomas account for 1% of adult cancers and 15% of pediatric, with ~13,000 US cases annually, affecting any age but peaking in children (bone) and adults over 50 (STS).

Symptoms

Symptoms vary by type/location: soft tissue sarcomas cause painless lumps/swelling (often in limbs/trunk), pain if pressing on nerves/muscles, limited mobility, or gastrointestinal bleeding (abdominal sarcomas). Bone sarcomas cause persistent bone pain, swelling, fractures, and limp. Advanced cases include weight loss, fatigue, or metastatic symptoms (e.g., lung cough). Symptoms may mimic injuries, delaying diagnosis.

Causes

Sarcomas result from genetic mutations, with risk factors including radiation exposure (5-10% therapy-related), genetic syndromes (Li-Fraumeni, neurofibromatosis, Gardner), chemical exposures (vinyl chloride, dioxin), and chronic lymphedema. Specific translocations (e.g., SYT-SSX in synovial sarcoma) drive subtypes. In 2025, genomic profiling reveals fusion genes and immune factors.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis uses imaging (MRI for soft tissue, X-ray/CT for bone), biopsy (core/needle for histology/grade), and PET/CT for staging/metastases. Molecular testing identifies fusions/mutations. In 2025, AI and NGS improve subtype classification.

Treatment

Surgery is cornerstone (wide excision/limb-sparing), with radiation (pre/postoperative) reducing recurrence by 20-30%. Chemotherapy (doxorubicin, ifosfamide) for high-grade/metastatic, with 50% response in some subtypes. Targeted therapies (pazopanib for STS, imatinib for GIST) and immunotherapy (pembrolizumab for MSI-high) are used. In 2025, ADCs and CAR-T show 30-40% response in trials.

Future Outlook

In 2025, 5-year survival is 65% overall, 80% localized STS, 50% metastatic. Advances in targeted therapies improve metastatic survival to 25%. By 2030, fusion-specific drugs and AI could achieve 75% survival.

Sources

The information for sarcoma is sourced from Mayo Clinic’s “Sarcoma – Symptoms and causes” for symptoms; Cleveland Clinic’s “Sarcoma: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment & Outlook” for outlook; NCI’s “Soft Tissue Sarcoma Treatment (PDQ®)” for treatment; Cancer Research UK’s “Sarcoma” for understanding; and PMC’s “Sarcoma: A Comprehensive Review” for causes.