Soft tissue sarcoma
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| Soft tissue sarcoma | |
| ICD-9 | 171 |
|---|---|
| DiseasesDB | 31472 |
| MeSH | D012509 |
Template:Soft tissue sarcoma Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Diagnosis
The only reliable way to determine whether a soft tissue tumor is benign or malignant is through a biopsy. Therefore, all soft tissue lumps that persist or grow should be biopsied. A biopsy can be obtained via needle biopsy or with surgical biopsy. During this procedure, a doctor makes an incision or uses a special needle to remove a sample of tumor tissue. A pathologist examines the tissue under a microscope. If cancer is present, the pathologist can usually determine the type of cancer and its grade. The grade of the tumor is determined by how abnormal the cancer cells appear when examined under a microscope. The grade predicts the probable growth rate of the tumor and its tendency to spread. Low-grade sarcomas, although cancerous, are unlikely to metastasize. High-grade sarcomas are more likely to spread to other parts of the body.
Treatment
In general, treatment for soft tissue sarcomas depends on the stage of the cancer. The stage of the sarcoma is based on the size and grade of the tumor, and whether the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes or other parts of the body (metastasized). Treatment options for soft tissue sarcomas include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.
- Surgery is the most common treatment for soft tissue sarcomas. If possible, the doctor will remove the cancer and a safe margin of the healthy tissue around it. Depending on the size and location of the sarcoma, it may occasionally be necessary to remove all or part of an arm or leg (amputation). However, the need for amputation rarely arises; no more than 10 % to 15 % of individuals with sarcoma undergo amputation. In most cases, limb-sparing surgery is an option to avoid amputating the arm or leg. It is important to obtain a margin free of tumor to decrease the likelihood of local recurrence and give the best chance for eradication of the tumor.
- Radiation therapy (treatment with x-rays or radioactive implants) may be used either before surgery to shrink tumors or after surgery to kill any cancer cells that may have been left behind. In some cases, it can be used to treat tumours that cannot be surgically removed. In multiple studies, radiation therapy has been found to improve the rate of local control, but has not had any influence on overall survival.
- Chemotherapy (treatment with anticancer drugs) may be used with radiation therapy either before or after surgery to try to shrink the tumor or kill any remaining cancer cells. In general, chemotherapy effects for soft tissue sarcoma have had little impact as opposed to other cancers. If the cancer has spread to other areas of the body, chemotherapy may be used to shrink tumors and reduce the pain and discomfort they cause, but is unlikely to eradicate the disease. The use of chemotherapy to prevent the spread of soft tissue sarcomas has not been proven to be effective. Patients with soft tissue sarcomas usually receive chemotherapy intravenously (injected into a blood vessel).
Doctors are conducting clinical trials in the hope of finding new, more effective treatments for soft tissue sarcomas, and better ways to use current treatments. Clinical trials are in progress at hospitals and cancer centers around the country. Clinical trials are an important part of the development of new methods of treatment. Before a new treatment can be recommended for general use, doctors conduct clinical trials to find out whether the treatment is safe for patients and effective against the disease.
References
External links
- http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Sites-Types/soft-tissue-sarcoma National Cancer Institute Factsheet
- http://www.acor.org/sarcoma-support.html List of ACOR Information & Support Online Communities for sarcomas
- http://cureasps.org/ Cure Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma International
- http://www.mskcc.org