SARCOMA

These cancer cells develop in the bones and soft tissues such as fat tissues,
cartilages, blood vessels, lymph and other supporting tissues of tendons and
ligaments.

The most common form of sarcoma in the bone is osteosarcoma, and in soft
tissues include Kaposi sarcoma, liposarcoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma,
leiomyosarcoma, and dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans.
Causes

Sarcomas form when immature bone or soft tissue cells have changes to their
DNA, and they develop into cancer cells that grow in an unregulated way. They
may eventually form a mass or tumor that can invade nearby healthy tissues. Left
untreated, the cancer can travel via your bloodstream or lymphatic system from
the primary location where it formed to other organs (metastasis). Metastasized
cancer is challenging to treat.

As with other forms of cancer, researchers don’t know what causes a healthy cell
to become sarcoma.
 SYMPTOMS
Symptoms vary depending on the tumor’s location. For example, some sarcomas
may not cause noticeable symptoms in the early stages. Some sarcomas may feel like
a painless lump under your skin, while others don’t cause pain until they grow large
enough to press on an organ.

Other sarcomas can cause long-lasting bone pain or swelling in your arm or leg that
worsens at night. These changes may limit your movement.

Symptoms may include:

A new lump that may or may not hurt.

Pain in an extremity (arm/leg) or abdomen/pelvis.

Trouble moving your arm or leg (a limp or limited range of motion).

Unexplained weight loss.

Back pain.

Sarcoma shares symptoms with many other conditions. Your provider can help determine
whether your symptoms are related to sarcoma or another disease or disorder.
RISK FACTORS
Certain factors may raise your risk of developing sarcoma. Risk factors include:

Exposure to chemicals: Exposure to arsenic and certain chemicals used to make plastics (vinyl
chloride monomer), herbicides (phenoxyacetic acid) and wood preservatives (chlorophenols).

Radiation: Exposure to high doses of radiation from previous cancer treatment.

Lymphedema: Long-term swelling in your arms or legs.

Genetic conditions: Certain inherited disorders and chromosome mutations, such as Gardner
syndrome, Werner syndrome, von Hippel-Lindau disease, Gorlin syndrome, tuberous sclerosis,
La-Fraumeni syndrome, retinoblastoma and neurofibromatosis type 1.