What is soft tissue sarcoma?

This is the general name for a large group of malignant tumors of soft tissues. This tumor, more precisely the type of tumors can develop from cells of ligaments, tendons, muscle tissue, subcutaneous fat, vessels.

Soft tissue sarcoma is considered a fairly rare disease. If we consider statistics, then in childhood, sarcoma of soft tissues is more common than in adults, and proceeds more malignantly. In men, this disease is also more prevalent than in women. In the age group, those who are sick are people from 45 years of age and older. The place of formation of the sarcoma is its name.

Fibrosarcoma - damage to collagen fibers. More often affects women 29-39 years. It is located in the soft tissues of the extremities closer to the large joints (hips, shoulders). The main sign is that there is no lesion of the skin in the place of its localization. Metastases are more common in the lungs.

Liposarcoma - develops from fat cells. The main affected age, regardless of gender, is 41-61 years old. It is more common on the legs and in the retroperitoneal space. The main sign is early lung metastases.

Rhabdomyosarcoma - develops from skeletal (motor) muscles. Among all sarcomas, it takes the third place in frequency. In adolescence (up to 15 years), the embryonic type of sarcoma is diagnosed, after this age - the adult type. More often and more maliciously proceeds at teenagers. Women are more prone to this type of sarcoma.

The main localization - head and neck, limbs, small pelvis. Feature - painless rapid growth, the function of the organs is not broken. Can sprout the skin and form bleeding formations, similar to raw meat. Early relapses.

Angiosarcoma is constructed from a variety of atypical capillaries. Disease of a young age, up to forty years. Feature: quickly and rapidly growing, early appear ulcers and is a fusion with surrounding tissues. Metastasis is observed early in the lungs and bones, spreading into soft tissues throughout the trunk.

Lymphangiosarcoma (Stewart-Trivs syndrome) can be considered as a complication after a specific mastectomy in women. It develops from the lymphatic tissue in the place of permanent edema, often after radiation therapy.

Synovial sarcoma is quite common among all sarcomas in young people (up to 50 years). The main location is a brush or a foot. The third part of patients notes the presence of trauma in the history of the disease. More than half of the patients are metastatic in the lungs.

Malignant neurinomas are a rare pathology. Most often localized on the legs, characterized by multiple nodes.

Soft tissue sarcoma. Symptoms.

Symptoms of soft tissue sarcoma are characteristic of a whole series of these tumors. For soft tissue sarcoma, prolonged slow and painless growth is characteristic. Because of what false similarity develops with the clinical development of benign tumors. Very often soft tissue sarcoma is detected by chance. When the patient pays attention to the fact that because of the large size of the tumor, he feels a restriction in the movements or the affected area is deformed.

When the soft tissue sarcoma grows near large neural trunks, pain or soreness can occur early on when the tumor is felt.

In addition, with the development of the disease, fever, anemia, weight loss, and weakness in sweating are observed.

There are sarcomas with a low and high degree of malignancy. This degree determines the course and outcome of the disease. It can be determined only by biopsy.

When a given tumor, regardless of its origin, is detected at an early stage of its development, the prognosis for treatment and the life span of the patient is favorable.

With a correctly and early diagnosed, rational treatment, complete recovery is possible.