Understanding Soft Tissue Cancer: Causes, Symptoms, and Management

What is it?

A malignant tumor, or cancer, is a condition in which cells in the body grow out of control. The term malignant indicates that there is a probability that the disease will spread beyond the site where it initially develops.
Malignant soft tissue neoplasms are classified as sarcomas. Soft tissue sarcomas are a group of rare cancers affecting the tissues that connect, support and surround other body structures and organs, such as muscles, tendons, fat, fibrous tissue, blood vessels and more.
Soft tissue sarcomas can develop in almost any part of the body, and they are categorized by the tissue in which it has grown, for example:
liposarcomas – develop in fat tissue
angiosarcomas – develop in the cells that build the blood or lymph vessels
gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) - develop in the connective tissues that support the organs of the digestive system
Rhabdomyosarcomas - malignant tumors in skeletal muscle
Leiomyosarcomas – develop In smooth muscle around internal organs.

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Additional names

This group contains additional names:
- Soft Tissue Sarcoma
- Liposarcoma

Signs & symptoms

In their early stages, soft-tissue sarcomas usually do not cause symptoms. The first noticeable symptom is usually a painless lump or swelling.
As the tumor grows, it may cause pain or other symptoms associated with compression by the mass, depending on the location of the tumor, for example: in the limbs it may cause paresthesias or swelling (edema) while in the abdomen it can cause nausea or constipation.

Diagnosis

A diagnosis of a soft tissue sarcoma will usually be based on your symptoms, a physical examination, and the results of:
* imaging studies - Various imaging techniques are used to detect a soft tissue tumor, determine the extent of the disease, and establish the presence or absence of metastases. These include MRI, CT, or PET scan.
* a Biopsy – where a sample of suspected cancerous tissue is removed using a needle or during an operation so it can be tested and analyzed under a microscope.

Treatment

Treatment depends on the size and location of the tumor, whether it spread or not, and your general health.
Treatment may include one or more of the following:
* surgery to remove the tumor
* radiation therapy
* chemotherapy

☝️ This is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult with your physician before making any medical decision.

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Source of Information - We analyze big data of more than 23 million patients de-identified medical records from the following sources:

National Institution of Health ∙ World Health Organization ∙ University of Illinois hospital