Soft Tissue Sarcoma
Diagnosing soft tissue sarcomas
Source: NHS
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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 based on your symptoms, a physical examination, and the results of:
- scans an ultrasound scan is usually the first test performed and is fairly simple and quick; further scans such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan may be performed later
- a biopsy where a sample of suspected cancerous tissue is removed using a needle or during an operation so it can be tested and analysed in a laboratory
If a diagnosis of a soft tissue sarcoma is confirmed, these and further tests will also help determine how likely the cancer is to spread (known as the "grade"), and whether or how far the cancer has spread (known as the "stage").
Articles for 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
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
Introduction
Find out what soft tissue sarcomas are, what symptoms they can cause and how they're treated.
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
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
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
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