Sarcoma: Difference between revisions

Like some other cancers, sarcomas are assigned a [[Grading (tumors)|grade]] (low, intermediate, or high) based on the appearance of the tumor cells under a microscope.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web|url=https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/diagnosis-staging/prognosis/tumor-grade-fact-sheet|title=Tumor Grade|date=2013-05-09|website=National Cancer Institute|language=en|access-date=2019-03-21}}</ref> In general, grade refers to how aggressive the cancer is and how likely it is to spread to other parts of the body ("metastasize").<ref name=":6" /> Low-grade sarcomas have a better prognosis than higher-grade sarcomas, and are usually treated surgically, although sometimes radiation therapy or chemotherapy are used.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":0" /> Intermediate- and high-grade sarcomas are more frequently treated with a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy.<ref name=Buecker05>{{cite journal | vauthors = Buecker P |title=Sarcoma: A Diagnosis of Patience |journal=ESUN |volume=2 |issue=5 |year=2005 |url=http://sarcomahelp.org/articles/patience.html | access-date=2009-04-15 |archive-date=4 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204224156/http://sarcomahelp.org/articles/patience.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Since high-grade tumors are more likely to undergo metastasis (invasion and spread to locoregional and distant sites), they are treated more aggressively. The recognition that many sarcomas are sensitive to chemotherapy has dramatically improved the survival of patients. For example, in the era before chemotherapy, long-term survival for pediatric patients with localized osteosarcoma was only about 20%, but now has risen to 60–70%.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Longhi A, Errani C, De Paolis M, Mercuri M, Bacci G | title = Primary bone osteosarcoma in the pediatric age: state of the art | journal = Cancer Treatment Reviews | volume = 32 | issue = 6 | pages = 423–436 | date = October 2006 | pmid = 16860938 | doi = 10.1016/j.ctrv.2006.05.005 }}</ref>

[[Surgery]] is the most common form of the treatment for most sarcomas that have not spread to other parts of the body, and for most sarcomas, surgery is the only curative treatment.<ref name=":2" /><ref name="Morris05">{{cite journal| vauthors = Morris C |year=2005|title=Malignant Fibrous Histiocytoma (MFH)|url=http://sarcomahelp.org/mfh.html|journal=ESUN|volume=2|issue=2|access-date=2011-10-19|archive-date=11 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111000838/http://sarcomahelp.org/mfh.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Limb-sparing techniques|Limb-sparing surgery]], as opposed to amputation, can now be used to save the limbs of patients in at least 90% of extremity (arm or leg) sarcoma cases.<ref name="Morris05" /> Additional treatments, including [[chemotherapy]], [[radiation therapy]] (also called "radiotherapy"), which includes [[proton therapy]], may be administered ''before surgery'' (called "[[Neoadjuvant therapy|neoadjuvant]]" chemotherapy or radiotherapy) or ''after surgery'' (called "[[Adjuvant therapy|adjuvant]]" chemotherapy or radiotherapy).<ref name=":2" /><ref name="Buecker05" /> The use of neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy significantly improves the prognosis for many sarcoma patients.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{cite journal| vauthors = Baker L |year=2006|title=A Rose is a Rose or a Thorn is a Thorn|url=http://sarcomahelp.org/articles/chemotherapy-rose.html|journal=ESUN|volume=3|issue=5|access-date=2011-10-19|archive-date=19 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130119081916/http://sarcomahelp.org/articles/chemotherapy-rose.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Treatment can be a long and arduous process, lasting about a year for many patients.<ref name="Buecker05" />

* Pediatric rhabdomyosarcoma is usually treated with chemotherapy, surgery, and sometimes radiotherapy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site1068/mainpageS1068P0.html|title=Rhabdomyosarcoma|publisher=Boston Children's Hospital|access-date=2 March 2010|archive-date=23 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110523150444/http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site1068/mainpageS1068P0.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Pediatric rhabdomyosarcoma patients have a 50–85% long term survival rate.<ref>{{cite journal| vauthors = Wexler L |year=2004|title=Rhabdomyosarcoma|url=http://sarcomahelp.org/rhabdomyosarcoma.html|journal=ESUN|volume=1|issue=4|access-date=2011-10-19|archive-date=27 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121027025134/http://sarcomahelp.org/rhabdomyosarcoma.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Sarcomas affect people of all ages. Around 50% of bone sarcomas and 20% of soft-tissue sarcomas are diagnosed in people under the age of 35.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Darling J |title=A Different View of Sarcoma Statistics |journal=ESUN |volume=4 |issue=6 |year=2007 |url=http://sarcomahelp.org/articles/sarcoma-statistics.html | access-date=2012-10-06 |archive-date=25 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130725060105/http://sarcomahelp.org/articles/sarcoma-statistics.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Some sarcomas, such as [[leiomyosarcoma]], [[chondrosarcoma]], and [[gastrointestinal stromal tumor]] (GIST), are more common in adults than in children.<ref name=":1" /> Most high-grade bone sarcomas, including [[Ewing's sarcoma|Ewing sarcoma]] and [[osteosarcoma]], are much more common in children and young adults.<ref name=":1" />

In the US, July is widely recognized as Sarcoma Awareness Month.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cancer Awareness Dates |publisher=American Society of Clinical Oncology |url=http://www.cancer.net/research-and-advocacy/cancer-awareness-dates|date=19 December 2013 }}</ref> The UK has a Sarcoma Awareness Week in July led by [[Sarcoma UK]], the bone and soft-tissue cancer charity.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sarcoma Awareness Week 2018 |publisher=Sarcoma UK |url=https://sarcoma.org.uk/get-involved/SAW |access-date=13 April 2018 |date=25 January 2016 |archive-date=22 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180622033329/https://sarcoma.org.uk/get-involved/SAW |url-status=dead }}</ref>

* [https://www.reininsarcoma.org/what-is-sarcoma-2/ What is Sarcoma?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210805153821/https://www.reininsarcoma.org/what-is-sarcoma-2/ |date=5 August 2021 }}