Soft tissue sarcomas

Sarcomas make up no more than one percent of the total number of cancers and are characterized by an aggressive and rapid course. They include a range of malignant neoplasms originating from connective tissue (muscle, adipose tissue, blood and lymphatic tissue).

Sarcomas can occur in any part of the body, but most often they are localized in the extremities, as well as the neck, head and torso. Internal organs are damaged much less frequently.

Depending on the origin, the following types of sarcomas are distinguished:

• Liposarcoma, which forms from adipose tissue cells.
• Rhabdomyosarcoma, which is formed from muscle tissue cells. Depending on the structure of the tumor, spindle cell, giant cell and mixed sarcomas are divided. Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma develops most often in childhood and is characterized by increased aggressiveness.
• Leiomyosarcoma is formed from smooth muscle tissue; in addition to the extremities, it can develop in the gastrointestinal tract and uterus.
• Synovial sarcoma develops from cells of the synovial membrane (joint capsule).
• Angiosarcoma develops in blood vessels and is additionally distinguished as Kaposi's sarcoma, hemangiopericytoma, hemangioendothelioma.
• Lymphangiosarcoma forms in the tissue of the lymphatic vessels.
• Fibrosarcoma develops in connective tissue cells and can be either round cell or spindle cell.

Causes of the disease.

Most sarcomas develop without the influence of any external factors or the presence of a pre-existing benign formation. Nevertheless, there are a number of possible etiological factors that increase the risk of sarcomas:

• Chronic trauma
• Prolonged contact with chemical carcinogens
• Passed radiation therapy
• Genetic predisposition: neurofibromatosis type 1, Li-Fraumeni syndrome
• In relation to the development of Kaloshi's sarcoma, the main etiological factors are the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and herpes virus type 8

Main symptoms of the disease.

It is quite difficult to notice sarcoma at an early stage on your own. In the case of superficial localization (in the area of the limbs, neck, head, torso), the first sign may be the detection of a formation with a steady growth pattern. When located in the chest or abdominal cavity, pelvis, the disease can be asymptomatic for a long time, become a finding during research, or manifest itself at a late stage when it grows into neighboring structures or spreads to other organs in the form of a variety of different symptoms, depending on the location and nature of the spread.

What signs indirectly indicate the development of pathology:

• The presence of a palpable dense formation prone to constant growth
• Persistent pain in the abdomen, chest, lumbar region, pelvis
• Signs of dysfunction of the thoracic, abdominal and pelvic organs
• With leiomyosarcoma of the uterus: bloody discharge from the genital tract, pain in the suprapubic area

Diagnostic methods:

The diagnostic algorithm should be formed by the doctor after the initial examination.

What methods are used:

• Biopsy of the primary formation or metastatic lesion followed by histological and immunohistochemical examination (mandatory for diagnosis)
• Ultrasound of soft tissues in the presence of suspicious formations; as well as ultrasound of lymph nodes, abdominal cavity, pelvis
• MRI of soft tissues with contrast enhancement
• CT scan of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis with contrast enhancement
• MRI of the brain with contrast enhancement (if metastases are suspected)
• In some cases: PET-CT

Treatment:

Treatment tactics soft tissue tumors determined by the oncology council.

The following types of treatment can be distinguished:

• Surgical treatment: removal of the formation and regional lymph nodes for a localized form of the disease
• Chemotherapy: used both as an adjunct to surgery in the pre- and postoperative regime, and independently in the presence of distant metastases.
• Radiation therapy: In general, sarcomas are poorly responsive to radiation therapy. However, in some cases this treatment method can be used as an adjunct to surgical treatment.

Professional examination and diagnosis

The earlier any disease is detected, the easier it is to fight it, and the more favorable the prognosis. Unfortunately, there are no effective methods for preventing soft tissue sarcomas, so the only way to take care of yourself is to promptly contact a specialist and undergo periodic examinations. During the conversation, the doctor will not only tell you what kind of disease sarcoma is and why it develops, but will also prescribe additional studies that will allow you to accurately establish the diagnosis and prescribe the optimal treatment.

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