Soft tissue sarcoma
Causes of soft tissue sarcomas
Cancer occurs when cells multiply uncontrollably, forming growths calledtumours.
In the vast majority of soft tissue sarcomas it's unclear what causes this to happen, but there are a number ofthings known to increase the risk, including:
- age soft tissue sarcomas can occur at any age, including in children, but are more common in middle-aged or elderly people and your risk increases as you get older
- certain genetic conditions some genetic conditions, such as neurofibromatosis type 1 and retinoblastoma , are associated with an increased risk of soft tissue sarcomas
- previous radiotherapy some people who have previously had radiotherapy for another type of cancer go on to develop a soft tissue sarcoma, oftenmany years later
- exposure to certain chemicals exposure to some chemicals, including vinyl chloride, dioxins and phenoxyacetic herbicides, has been associated with increased rates of soft tissue sarcomas
Kaposi's sarcoma is a very rare sarcoma caused by a virus known as the human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV-8) infecting someone with a weakened immune system (such as people with HIV ).
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018
Introduction
Find out what soft tissue sarcomas are, what symptoms they can cause and how they're treated.
Symptoms of soft tissue sarcomas
Soft tissue sarcomas often have no obvious symptoms in the early stages. They can cause symptoms as they get bigger or spread. The symptoms depend on where the cancer develops. For example: cancer
Types of soft tissue sarcoma
There are many different types of soft tissue sarcoma, depending on where in the body it develops. Examples include: leiomyosarcoma develops in muscle tissue liposarcoma develops in fat tissue an
Causes of soft tissue sarcomas
Cancer occurs when cells multiply uncontrollably, forming growths calledtumours. In the vast majority of soft tissue sarcomas it's unclear what causes this to happen, but there are a number ofthings
Diagnosing soft tissue sarcomas
If your GP feels there's a possibility youhave cancer, they'll refer you for a number of hospital tests. A diagnosis of a soft tissue sarcoma will usually be made by a hospital specialist and will be
Treatments for soft tissue sarcomas
People with a soft tissue sarcoma are cared for by a team of doctors and nurses at specialist centres, who will help decide on the most appropriate treatment. The best treatment depends on things suc
Outlook for soft tissue sarcomas
The outlook for a soft tissue sarcoma mostly depends on the type of sarcoma it is, how likely it is to spread (the grade) and how far it has already spread (the stage) by the time it's diagnosed. If
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