Sarcomas are a group of cancers that can come from many different areas of the body. They are all grouped together, because they have some similarities in how they are treated. Sarcomas affect adults, and even children.
So what is sarcoma?
Most of them are abnormal cells that arise from soft tissue– and that’s why they’re called “soft tissue sarcoma”. Other times, then can arise from bone; these are categorized as “bone sarcomas”.
What are the symptoms of sarcoma?
The symptoms of sarcoma often depend on the body site where the sarcoma is located. For those that arise in the extremity (e.g., arms, legs), it can present as a painless lump. Sarcomas located in internal organs, such as the lungs or abdomen, may be harder to notice unless they are of larger size.
What is a good imaging test for sarcoma?
This also depends on the area of the body that it is located. For sarcomas in the chest or belly, a CT scan is helpful. An MRI is helpful for the extremities, such as the arms or legs.
How is a diagnosis of sarcoma made?
A biopsy is generally needed in order to diagnose sarcoma. Either a surgeon can make an incision to cut out a portion of the tumor, or sometimes, a radiologist can take a biopsy of the tumor with the help of an ultrasound or CT.
What is the right treatment for sarcoma?
If the sarcoma is in one area, and can be removed, surgery is usually an important treatment. For many sarcomas, chemotherapy and radiation are involved too. Chemo and Radiation can sometimes be given to shrink the sarcoma to make a smaller surgery possible. It is often important to have discussions with a surgeon, chemotherapy doctor, and radiation doctor in order to develop the best plan of management.
Questions to ask the doctor about sarcoma:
– What are my treatment options for sarcoma?
– What are the benefits of each treatment option?
– What are the expected and possible side effects of each option?
– What do you think is the best option for me?