Soft Tissue Sarcoma

Soft tissue sarcomas are rare cancerous tumors in the tissues that support and surround your bones and organs. (Think muscles, tendons, fat and skin). You may develop soft tissue sarcomas anywhere but they usually appear in your arms, legs, chest and in the space behind your belly (retroperitoneum).

Are soft tissue sarcomas common?

No, they aren’t. The American Cancer Society estimates about 13,400 adults and children will learn that they have soft tissue sarcoma in 2023. Soft tissues sarcomas represent 1% of all cancers in adults. They represent 7% of all cancers in children up to age 15 and 3% of all cancers in children age 14 and younger.

Types of soft tissue sarcomas

There are 70 different types of soft tissue sarcoma. Some soft tissue sarcomas are more common in adults than in children and adolescents (older children between ages 15 and 19).

According to the American Cancer Society, the most common soft tissue sarcomas in adults are:

Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma. This cancer develops in soft tissue in your legs, arms or chest, quickly spreading to other areas of your body.
Liposarcoma. You may have this soft tissue sarcoma type in your belly but it may also appear in your thighs and other areas of your body.
Leiomyosarcoma. This soft tissue sarcoma starts in your smooth muscles. You have smooth muscles in your belly, bladder, uterus, intestines and your blood vessels.

The most common soft tissue sarcomas in teenagers and young adults are:

Rhabdomyosarcoma. This is a very rare soft tissue sarcoma. Healthcare providers can treat this condition, but rhabdomyosarcoma may come back (recur). About 70% of people with rhabdomyosarcoma are alive five years after diagnosis.
Ewing sarcoma in soft tissue. This sarcoma type usually develops in tissues next to your bones. Each year, healthcare providers diagnose about 200 cases of Ewing sarcoma in soft tissue. This condition mostly affects people ages 10 to 20. Based on age, the overall 5-year survival rate for this type of cancer is 76% for children younger than 15 and 59% for teenagers between ages 15 and 19.

How serious is soft tissue sarcoma?

Soft tissue sarcoma can be a serious medical issue. Like many forms of cancer, healthcare providers have more success treating soft tissue sarcomas if they diagnose the tumor before it spreads. Without treatment, soft tissue sarcomas may spread (metastasize) and affect other areas of your body.

Symptoms

When to see a doctor

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Complications

Blood clots are a dangerous complication of atrial fibrillation (AFib). Blood clots can lead to stroke.

The risk of stroke from AFib increases as you grow older. Other health conditions also may increase the risk of a stroke due to AFib. These conditions include:

High blood pressure.
Diabetes.
Heart failure.
Some types of heart valve disease.

Blood thinners are commonly prescribed to prevent blood clots and strokes in people with atrial fibrillation.

Prevention

Healthy lifestyle choices can reduce the risk of heart disease and may prevent atrial fibrillation (AFib). Here are some basic heart-healthy tips:

Control high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
Don't smoke or use tobacco.
Eat a diet that's low in salt and saturated fat.
Exercise at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week unless your health care team says not to.
Get good sleep. Adults should aim for 7 to 9 hours daily.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Reduce and manage stress.

By Freedmans Health Clinic Staff

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