Adult Soft Tissue SarcomaSymptoms, Doctors, Treatments, Advances & More
Learn About Adult Soft Tissue Sarcoma
Soft tissue sarcoma (STS) is cancer that forms in the soft tissue of the body. Soft tissue connects, supports, or surrounds other body parts. In adults, STS is rare.
There are many different types of soft tissue cancers. The type of sarcoma depends on the tissue it forms in:
- Muscles
- Tendons
- Fat
- Blood vessels
- Lymph vessels
- Nerves
- Tissues in and around joints
The cancer can form almost anywhere, but is most common in the:
- Head
- Neck
- Arms
- Legs
- Trunk
- Abdomen
STS; Leiomyosarcoma; Hemangiosarcoma; Kaposi's sarcoma; Lymphangiosarcoma; Synovial sarcoma; Neurofibrosarcoma; Liposarcoma; Fibrosarcoma; Malignant fibrous histiocytoma; Dermatofibrosarcoma; Angiosarcoma
It is not known what causes most sarcomas. But there are certain risk factors:
- Some inherited diseases, such as Li-Fraumeni syndrome
- Radiation therapy for other cancers
- Exposure to certain chemicals, such as vinyl chloride or certain herbicides
- Having swelling in the arms or legs for a long time (lymphedema)
In early stages, there are often no symptoms. As the cancer grows, it may cause a lump or swelling that keeps growing over time. Most lumps are not due to cancer.
Other symptoms include:
- Pain, if it presses on a nerve, organ, blood vessel, bone, or muscle
- Blockage or bleeding in the stomach or intestines
- Breathing problems
Surgery is the most common treatment for STS.
- In early stages, the tumor and some healthy tissue around it is removed.
- Sometimes, just a small amount of tissue needs to be removed. Other times, a wider area of tissue must be removed.
- With advanced cancers that form in an arm or leg, surgery may be followed by radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Rarely, the limb may need to be amputated.
You also may have radiation therapy or chemotherapy:
- Used before surgery to help shrink the tumor to make it easier to remove the cancer
- Used after surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells
Chemotherapy may be used to help kill cancer that has metastasized. This means it has spread to different areas of the body.
Cleveland Clinic Main Campus
Gary Schwartz is a Hematologist Oncology provider practicing medicine in Cleveland, Ohio. He has been practicing medicine for over 47 years. Dr. Schwartz is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Adult Soft Tissue Sarcoma. He is also highly rated in 32 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Adult Soft Tissue Sarcoma, Liposarcoma, Fibrosarcoma, Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, and Liver Embolization. Dr. Schwartz is board certified in American Board Of Internal Medicine, 1986.
Brigham And Women's Hospital, Division Of Surgical Oncology
Dr. Raut is the Chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology and the inaugural Distinguished Chair for Cancer Care at Brigham and Women's Hospital. He received a BA and BS from Stanford University, MSc from University of Oxford, and MD from Harvard Medical School, where he is also a Professor of Surgery. He completed his residency in general surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital and fellowship in surgical oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Raut specializes in the multidisciplinary care of patients with soft tissue sarcoma and serves as the Surgery Director for the Center for Sarcoma and Bone Oncology at Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center (DFBCC). His research focuses on multimodal strategies to reduce rates of local recurrence for patients with sarcoma. Dr. Raut is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Adult Soft Tissue Sarcoma. He is also highly rated in 28 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Adult Soft Tissue Sarcoma, Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor, Liposarcoma, Nephrectomy, and Pancreaticoduodenectomy. Dr. Raut is board certified in Surgery, General.
Duke Cancer Center
I am a medical oncologist who focuses on bone and soft tissue cancers called sarcomas. I love spending time with my patients. They often have a sense of awareness about their condition that’s truly unique and rewarding. I partner with each patient so they know the full set of options available for treatment and can make an informed decision about the approach that is best for them. I’ve wanted to pursue medicine for as long as I can remember. I find cancer fascinating because of its ability to evade the immune system. The body fails to recognize cancer as being foreign. When I am not at work, I love spending time with my family and enjoy long distance running. Dr. Riedel is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Adult Soft Tissue Sarcoma. He is also highly rated in 30 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Adult Soft Tissue Sarcoma, Liposarcoma, Desmoid Tumor, and Angiosarcoma. Dr. Riedel is board certified in American Board Of Internal Med, Internal Medicine and American Board Of Internal Med, Medical Oncology.
Cancer affects how you feel about yourself and your life. You can ease the stress of illness by joining a cancer support group. Sharing with others who have had the same experiences and problems can help you feel less alone.
Ask your provider to help you find a support group for people who have been diagnosed with STS.
The outlook for people whose cancer is treated early is very good. Most people who survive 5 years can expect to be cancer-free at 10 years.
Complications include side effects from surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation.
See your provider about any lump that grows in size or is painful.
The cause of most STSs isn't known and there is no way to prevent it. Knowing your risk factors and telling your provider when you first notice symptoms can increase your chance of surviving this type of cancer.
Background: A type of drug called monoclonal antibody immune checkpoint inhibitors are often used in cancer treatment. These drugs help the body s immune system fight cancer by blocking proteins that cause cancer cells to grow. One of these drugs (atezolizumab) is approved to treat certain cancers. Researchers want to find out if lower doses of this drug might provide the same benefit with fewer adverse effec...
Summary: The investigators will evaluate the sensitivity of ctDNA from plasma and CSF at baseline (defined as C1D1) and over time in response to treatment with plixorafenib alone or in combination with retifanlimab in patients with BRAF-V600E mutant glioma refractory to prior therapies.
Published Date: August 21, 2024
Published By: Warren Brenner, MD, Oncologist, Lynn Cancer Institute, Boca Raton, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Contreras CM, Heslin MJ. Soft tissue sarcoma. In: Townsend CM Jr, Beauchamp RD, Evers BM, Mattox KL, eds. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery. 21st ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2022:chap 32.
National Cancer Institute website. Soft tissue sarcoma treatment (PDQ) - health professional version. www.cancer.gov/types/soft-tissue-sarcoma/hp/adult-soft-tissue-treatment-pdq#section/all. Updated April 10, 2024. Accessed August 29, 2024.
Van Tine BA. Sarcomas of soft tissue. In: Niederhuber JE, Armitage JO, Kastan MB, Doroshow JH, Tepper JE, eds. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 90.