Sarcoma Cancers: A Primer
- Sarcoma is the general term describing an array of cancers that begin in the bones and in the soft tissues.
- Types include Kaposi, epithelioid, Ewing’s sarcoma, and more than 70 others.
- These are rare and can be hard to diagnose through symptoms.
Read More“Sarcomas are rare and the cause in most patients is unknown”
Types of Sarcoma Cancers
The word sarcoma refers to a large array of bone and soft tissue cancers, and individual cancers within that set go by unique names. For instance:
- Ewing’s sarcoma is a cancer that typically occurs in and around the bones, often in the arms or legs, or the bones of the pelvis. It most commonly occurs in children and young adults.
Related: Celebrating the Life of Top Chef’s Fatima Ali, Who Had Ewing’s Sarcoma
- Kaposi sarcoma is a very rare type of cancer that causes lesions on the skin, in lymph nodes, organs, and the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, and throat. It typically affects people with compromised immune systems, such as those with HIV.
- Epithelioid sarcoma is a type of soft tissue cancer that grows slowly. It is likely to begin under the skin of areas like the finger, hand, forearm, lower part of the leg, or foot.
- Synovial sarcoma, also called malignant synovioma, is a cancer that can form soft tissues such as muscle or ligaments, commonly close to joints or in areas like the arm, leg, or foot.
- Osteogenic sarcoma, also called osteosarcoma, starts in the bone, often as it is forming as a young person grows.
- Spindle cell sarcoma is very rare, comprising as little as 2 percent of all primary bone cancer cases. It can start in the bone, often in the arms, legs, and pelvis, and usually occurs in people over 40.
Sarcoma Symptoms
The typical symptom of sarcomas is a slow-growing, painless mass. But sarcoma can be hard to detect through symptoms. “Unfortunately, most sarcomas do not cause many of the symptoms that may be associated with other cancer,” Dr. Dale Shepard, director of the Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute Phase I and Sarcoma Programs, tells SurvivorNet.
Shepard explains that this often leads to large tumors at the time of diagnosis. “Soft tissue sarcomas are typically painless,” he says. “Bone sarcomas may be mistaken for orthopedic injuries. A mass the size of a golf ball or larger and growing should be evaluated as a potential sarcoma. It's important that patients who do have symptoms are not dismissive of them.”
Sarcoma Survivor Kara Ladd found solace in Reiki, Meditation, and Energy Healing During Treatment
Carcinoma Vs. Sarcoma Explained
Dr. Gupta tells SurvivorNet that the main difference between a sarcoma and a carcinoma is where they originate. “A sarcoma typically occurs in soft/connective tissues of the body such as fat, muscle, blood vessels, bones, and nerves whereas a carcinoma typically occurs in organs such as the lung, prostate and breast,” he explains.
Related: New Hope for People with a Rare Type of Cancer Called Epithelioid Sarcoma
Or as Dr. Shepard puts it, a carcinoma comes from the cells that line organs (think lung, colon, or prostate), while a sarcoma comes from the cells that otherwise make up the organ: “Sarcomas are tumors in what people are made from after the organs are removed.”
When Cancer Runs in the Family
How Is Sarcoma Cancer Treated?
Sarcomas may be treated by surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Many patients benefit from treatment with more than one of these methods, Dr. Shepard explains.
“More than other types of cancer, the benefits of multidisciplinary care should prompt most patients to be seen by a group that specializes in treating sarcoma,” he says. “Even if only for a second opinion or to develop a treatment plan, multidisciplinary care is crucial. As examples, patients may benefit from surgical resection or radiation therapy even with metastatic disease. Patients may benefit from the addition of chemotherapy to radiation therapy prior to surgery to resect a sarcoma.”
Who Gets Sarcoma Cancer?
Most sarcomas don't have a clear cause, Dr. Shepard explains. “They usually develop without a particular exposure or pre-existing condition,” he says. “It is common that I see patients with a sarcoma who have previously been healthy no prior medical problems and leading a healthy lifestyle. [It’s] not from something they did or something they didn't do.”
That said, he notes, there are a few sarcomas that are associated with exposures or genetic conditions. Patients with HIV may develop Kaposi sarcoma. Prior radiation therapy is a risk factor for angiosarcoma. A genetic condition, neurofibromatosis 1, is associated with a type of sarcoma called a peripheral nerve sheath tumor. “Patients usually wonder why they have their tumor,” Dr. Shepard notes. “It is important to address this with them.”
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
