Sarcoma

Sarcoma is a rare type of cancer that forms tumors in connective tissues, such as bones, muscles, blood vessels, cartilage, fat, ligaments, lymph vessels, nerves, and tendons. Connective tissues are the structures that hold the body together while storing fat, moving nutrients, stopping disease, and supporting repairs.

Sarcomas can arise in bone or soft tissue in many locations across the body, but most often occur in the arms and legs. They may form near the skin’s surface, but are frequently hidden deep within the muscles.

Sarcomas affect people of all ages, making up 15 percent of pediatric cancers and just 1 percent of adult cancers. Each year, doctors diagnose about 15,000 sarcomas.

There are dozens of different subtypes of sarcomas. Some grow slowly, while others are more aggressive. All sarcomas can metastasize (spread), most often to the lungs. Because sarcomas are so diverse, each tumor requires an individualized plan and expert care.

There are two broad categories of sarcomas:

• Bone sarcomas: These cancers start in bones. There are approximately 10 to 12 types of bone sarcomas, with 3,000 to 4,000 new cases a year. While most of these cancers are diagnosed in children and young adults, some types specifically affect older adults. They can occur in the arms, legs, ribs, pelvis, spine, and base of the skull. Bone sarcomas are more rare than soft tissue sarcomas but are often easier to detect because they typically cause pain.
• Soft tissue sarcomas: These connective tissue cancers are more common in adults, with 11,000 to 12,000 new cases a year. There are more than 50 types of soft tissue sarcoma. They’re found most frequently in the arms and legs and the retroperitoneum (back half of the abdomen, or belly). Other locations include the chest wall, uterus, pelvis, buttocks, spine, and head and neck. Because soft tissue sarcomas are often not painful, you might think a growing lump is not serious, however, you should get all new growths evaluated.

If you or your doctor suspect you may have sarcoma, our staff will work to get you an appointment as soon as possible.

Once your appointment is scheduled, a nurse coordinator will reach out to gather more information on the type of care you’ve already had and obtain any needed medical records. If your imaging studies are already in the Penn Medicine system or can be electronically imported, we may be able to perform a biopsy at your first appointment. If not, we will use your first appointment to conduct the necessary imaging studies.

You can expect full support through each stage of your sarcoma care:

Diagnosis: Doctors who don’t see many sarcomas may overlook or misdiagnose them. Even an accurate diagnosis may take several weeks. Our radiologists and pathologists are extremely experienced in accurately and quickly interpreting scans and tissue samples in order to return a reliable diagnosis.

Treatment: If your diagnosis confirms that you have sarcoma, we will create a personalized sarcoma treatment plan that gives you the best chance of a successful outcome while focusing on your quality of life and mobility. Most patients need surgery for sarcoma to remove the tumor. Our team will discuss your case in our weekly multidisciplinary case conference to decide if you would benefit from radiation or chemotherapy as well. We offer the latest treatment options and also offer promising clinical trials for sarcoma if further options are needed.

Follow-up: Your care doesn’t stop when treatment ends. We monitor you for five or more years to look for a tumor that has returned or spread to another site such as the lungs. If it does, we work quickly to get you the follow-up treatment you need. We also provide access to the long-term Survivorship Program, which can address any ongoing physical or mental health needs you or your family may have following treatment.