Soft tissue sarcoma is one of the malignant tumors. It is characterized by poor detection of symptoms. This disease can be called rare. Soft tissue tumors of this kind have a specific weight of 1% in the total volume of malignant tumors. According to statistics, there is 1 disease in 1 million people. Men are more susceptible, but the form of the course is the same for both women and men. As a rule, persons from 30 to 60 years old are exposed to the disease. It is characterized by a high mortality rate.

What does it look like and where is it located?

Soft tissue sarcoma can occur wherever there is soft tissue, namely muscle, fatty tissue, tendons. But in most cases, these are the lower limbs or the thigh. Its localization is possible both on the upper limbs and on the head. Such a tumor has a white or yellowish color, a smooth surface and looks like a rounded knot. It can be dense, soft and jelly-like to the touch. As a rule, the tumor occurs in one quantity, but there are cases of multiple lesions located at a great distance.

Who is most susceptible to the disease?

First of all, the risk of developing sarcoma is present in those people who have genetic disorders, such as basal cell nesus syndrome, tuberous sclerosis, intestinal polyposis, Werner's or Gardner's syndrome.

Features and signs of soft tissue sarcoma

The most important sign is the appearance of a slight swelling (node) and limited mobility of the formation. Its dimensions range from 2 cm to 25 cm. The skin, as a rule, does not change, but a network of dilated veins and skin ulceration may occur. In some cases, this swelling may be the only symptom. If the tumor is located deep in the tissues, then it can be invisible for a long time. Then, the main indicators are pain and swelling of the extremities. Late signs are crimson staining of the skin, varicose veins, and bleeding.

1. Tumor cells tend to spread, therefore, when removed, sarcoma often reappears.

2. There are many sources of sarcoma, and the prevalence process is underestimated, which interferes with surgical intervention.

3. It is characterized by hematogenous metastasis (in the lungs up to 80%).

The process of development and course of soft tissue sarcoma

The rate and rate of its growth is different. Sometimes it is characterized by a prolonged course without complications, and in some cases, growth occurs quickly and is accompanied by pain, dysfunction of the limbs. If development is slow, then the growth rate can only change upward. The opposite does not happen.

As soon as the tumor grows, it begins to spread to the vessels, bones, nerve trunks and joint capsules. This leads to intense pain that does not always respond to pain relievers. As a rule, severe pain bothers at night and during physical exertion.

Causes of soft tissue sarcoma

Many factors influence its development. The most obvious causes of soft tissue sarcoma are as follows.

1. Sarcoma can develop at the site of scarring, which have become an unpleasant consequence of a fracture, operations, burns.

2. Radiation therapy can stimulate its development. Sarcoma sometimes develops in the area of ​​radiation.

4. Congenital or acquired immunodeficiency.

5. Genetics or hereditary predisposition.

Few people give due attention to sudden swellings and neoplasms, believing that everything will go away by itself. It is this attitude that provokes a rapid development process and severe consequences, up to and including death.

Very often, a tumor is found randomly. As soon as the slightest suspicion arose, it is necessary to make a diagnosis and, if the result is positive, begin treatment.

Varieties of soft tissue sarcomas

There are many types. These are angiosarcoma, fibrosarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, extraskeletal osteosarcoma, malignant schwannoma, malignant mesenchymoma, soft tissue synovial sarcoma, and so on.

According to the degree of its malignancy, the following types are distinguished.

1. With a low level.

2. With a high degree.

The first option assumes high cell differentiation, weak tumor vascularization, a large number of stroma and a small number of necrosis foci in the tumor.

The second option is characterized by the opposite properties. This is a low differentiation of cells, a small amount of stroma and large foci of necrosis in the tumor.

There is Kaposi's sarcoma. It is a malignant tumor that originates from the blood vessels (and lymph). It is located in the skin. The cause is the herpes simplex virus type 8. And due to the lack of immunity, sarcoma begins to develop. There are 4 types of this type of disease.

1. Idiopathic type. He's classic. Mostly affects men. It is located in the lower part of the body, but in the process of development it goes up. This type is characterized by burning, fever, itching and pain. The course of the disease can be acute, chronic and subacute. Chronic is not as pronounced, unlike the other two. If during the period of illness a person catches another concomitant disease, then the outcome can be fatal.

2. Iatrogenic type. It can occur after organ transplantation, and subsequently pass abruptly. And here a lethal outcome is possible if the skin manifestations begin to actively spread.

3. AIDS-related is characteristic of those who are infected with AIDS. If you do not engage in treatment, then the disease will affect the lungs, stomach, which, due to diseases of organs arising in parallel, will cause death.

4. African type. Often found in Central Africa. It can proceed, like the idiopathic type, in a chronic form, and lightning fast, which is typical for children. Lymph nodes are affected, and death occurs after 3 months.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of soft tissue sarcoma is carried out by biopsy. Only in this way will the correct diagnosis be made.
Ultrasound examination, positron emission, magnetic resonance and computed tomography, radiography, angiography, which are medical imaging tools, help to determine the location of the tumor and the presence of metastasis.

The diagnosis is carried out by a specialist who examines the tumor tissue using medical imaging and biopsy methods. The choice of diagnostics is carried out individually, in accordance with each case, but still the most popular and informative is magnetic resonance imaging.

Biopsy is performed in several ways, therefore, there are two types of biopsy.

The first is drawn through the incision, that is, it is open. The biopsy method is effective and widely used.

Treatment and results

In general, the treatment of soft tissue sarcoma is surgical. If surgery is not possible, chemotherapy or radiation therapy may be used. But they are not as effective individually. Only all together will give a meaningful result.

Operation is a radical but effective method. It depends on how widespread the tumor is. Standard surgery involves a wide incision of the affected tissue. Intermuscular tumors are removed along with the adjacent muscles. But if the tumor has grown into the bone, nerve trunks and great vessels, then limb amputation is often performed.

Radiation therapy acts as an adjunct. It reduces the risk of getting sick again. Radiation therapy is performed before and after surgery. The use of chemotherapy has begun in the past few years. It reduces the risk of subsequent sarcoma occurrence.

In general, the result depends on the severity and neglect of the tumor. In one case, long-term treatment is required, while the other case does not imply serious interventions.

Soft tissue sarcoma is a rare but very dangerous disease. Its symptoms are often overlooked. Therefore, this leads to dire consequences. It is timely diagnosis and treatment that will help to avoid an unpleasant outcome of the disease.

There are dozens of different types of sarcomas, each with its own symptoms, diagnosis, and recommended treatments. But when diagnosing “ Sarcoma», treatment, first of all, is to determine the exact type of cancer.

Types of sarcomas

Sarcoma is a malignant process that can occur in the connective tissue of the body, in particular in bones, muscles, cartilage, tendons and blood vessels. But all of these diseases come down to two main types:

• Soft tissue sarcoma:

Among them, the most common are leiomyosarcomas, fibroblastic sarcomas, liposarcomas, Kaposi's sarcoma, etc. Treatment, as a rule, involves a five-week course of radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy prior to resection.

• Sarcoma of bone structures:

Common subspecies: chondrosarcoma, Ewing's sarcoma, chordoma, etc. of this kind, basically, includes up to 3 months of chemotherapy (neoadjuvant or induction) before surgery and with the completion of the course after surgical excision. In general, the process can take up to a year, provided that there are no other complications or the need for further procedures.

Treatment of soft tissue sarcoma

Therapeutic treatment options depend on the type, stage, and extent of the sarcoma, and consideration of possible side effects. Typically, the treatment plan for soft tissue sarcoma includes:

Surgery

The goal is to remove the tumor and healthy tissue around it, so it must be performed before the operation. Small tumors (up to 5 cm) do not require additional therapeutic procedures. Malignant formations larger than 5 cm, in addition, require a combination of radiation and chemotherapy.

Radiation therapy

Can be done either before or after surgery to shrink the swelling. It is necessary to consider such possible side effects as damage to healthy cells, burns, the occurrence of another type of cancer. But it is able to save the patient from amputation if the tumor is in the extremities.

Brachytherapy

On an outpatient basis, it allows the use of radioactive radiation for 15 minutes once or twice a day. For patients recovering from surgery, this method helps avoid isolation in a separate room.

Systemic chemotherapy

Supposed to kill cancer cells throughout the body. The chemotherapy regimen consists of a specific cycle over a set period of time. In the treatment of soft tissue sarcoma, alone or in combination, drugs such as:

• “Decarbazin”;
• Docetaxel (Taxotere);
• “Doxorubicin” (“Adriamycin”);
• Gemcitabine (Gemzar);
• Epirubicin.

Kaposi's sarcoma: treatment

It can start in more than one place in the body at the same time. The disease looks like purple lesions lining the mucous membranes, lymph nodes and other organs.

There are four types of standard treatments for Kapos' sarcoma:

Radiation therapy

Depending on the specific type and location of the tumor, external or internal radiation is performed.

Surgical method

It is effective for treating small superficial lesions and suggests:

• local excision;
• fulguration and curettage: after resection, needle electrodes are used to destroy cancer cells around the wound;
• - freezing and destruction of abnormal tissues;

Chemotherapy treatment for sarcoma

It foresees systemic, regional or direct local effects of anticancer drugs on oncological formation. To increase the effectiveness, the liposomal method of administration of “Doxorubicin” is often used (the use of tiny fat particles as carriers of the drug to the neoplasm). The choice of method depends on the specific type of malignant process.

Biological therapy

Emphasizes on increasing and using the defenses of the patient's body in the fight against cancer. For this purpose, the appropriate intake of Interferon alpha is often prescribed.

Ewing's sarcoma: treatment

Ewing's sarcoma is a very aggressive bone cancer that mainly affects children and young adults under 30 years of age.

A typical treatment plan for Ewing's sarcoma is a systemic therapy that affects the entire body. Methods such as chemotherapy or stem cell transplantation in combination with localized therapy are effective:

Chemotherapy

Includes the use of drugs "Cyclophosphamide", "Doxorubicin", "Etoposide", "Ifosfamide" and / or "Vincristine";

Stem cell transplant

A procedure in which abnormal bone marrow tissue is replaced with specialized tissue called hematopoietic stem cells;

Localized therapy

Focuses on treating the tumor with local surgery and / or radiation.

Alternative treatment of sarcoma

May be accompanied by additional therapeutic measures of traditional medicine:

• herbal and botanical preparations, herbal extracts and teas;
• biologically active additives: vitamins, minerals and amino acids;
• homeopathic remedies aimed at enhancing immunity;
• physiotherapy and exercise therapy, which affect deep muscles and joints;
• hydrotherapy, which involves the use of water treatments such as hot and cold wraps;
• acupuncture, which can relieve stress and soreness.

Sarcoma treatment: the following measures

Unlike most types of cancer, unfortunately, this cancer is a lifelong diagnosis, which should be taken into account when choosing a method for treating sarcoma. It should be minimally traumatic. or usually occur within the first two to five years, so patients should be psychologically prepared for a possible complication. After five years, the risk of recurrence decreases significantly, but still exists.

After completing the course of treatment for sarcoma, a follow-up schedule begins, which includes:

• periodic visits to the oncologist;
• thorough examinations of the body (cardiac testing, laboratory exams, etc.) every three months for 2-3 years;
• continued follow-up every 6 months for up to five years.

Modern medical advances in oncology can significantly improve prognostic data in the ratio sarcoma/treatment.

This article is devoted to one of the most common questions: how is cancer different from sarcoma? To begin with, it is worth paying attention to the fact that in the first and second cases we are talking about a malignant neoplasm. Let us clarify that mortality from sarcoma is very high, but it is inferior to the number

We invite you to get acquainted in more detail with one and the other disease. After reading this article to the very end, you can find out:

• what are the signs of the disease;
• causes of sarcoma;
• how the disease is treated.

Cancer

We devote this section entirely to a disease called cancer. What it is? Cancer and sarcoma are very similar diseases. Many, whose lives are not related to medicine, mistakenly confuse them. Now let's take a look at the features. Cancer is life-threatening. It is based on a dangerous neoplasm consisting of malignant cells. What is a malignant neoplasm? This disease is characterized by uncontrolled cell division of various tissues. They are able to spread to healthy tissues and organs. The section of medicine called "oncology" deals with the study of malignant neoplasms.

What is known about the disease at this point in time? Very little. The reason for the development of cancer is a genetic disorder in the division and implementation of the basic functions of cells. These disorders can occur due to transformation and mutation. If the immune system notices changes in the body and in the functioning of cells in time, then trouble can be avoided, because the pathology stops developing. If the immune system missed this moment, then a tumor is formed.

Many factors affect the likelihood of a cancerous tumor, the most common of which are:

• heredity;
• smoking;
• drinking alcoholic beverages;
• viruses;
• ultraviolet radiation;
• poor quality food.

Sarcoma

So, sarcoma - what is it? In this section, we will try to tell you as much as possible about this disease. Sarcoma is, like cancer, a malignant neoplasm. It occurs in bone and muscle tissue. This is the difference between this disease and cancer. The latter can spread to absolutely any human organ.

The distinctive features of sarcoma are:

• very fast development;
• frequent relapses.

We also draw your attention to the fact that the disease very often occurs in childhood. The reason for this phenomenon is quite simple to explain. As mentioned earlier, sarcoma occurs in bone and muscle tissue. And when does the active development of these connective tissue structures take place? Of course, in childhood.

So what is sarcoma? It is a malignant neoplasm in bone or muscle tissue. Like cancer, sarcoma is an oncopathology, but its percentage among all cases is equal to one. That is, sarcoma is a rather rare occurrence, but very dangerous. Statistics say that in almost eighty percent of all cases, sarcoma was found on the lower extremities. Pay attention to the fact that in terms of mortality, this disease is second only to cancer.

Classification

In this section, we propose to disassemble the types of sarcomas. There are more than a hundred of them. We propose to classify the disease according to several criteria. To begin with, all sarcomas are usually divided into two large groups:

• damage to soft tissues;
• bone damage.

• primary;
• secondary.

What is the difference? In the first case, the tumor grows from the tissues where the sarcoma is localized. These include, for example, chondrosarcoma. The secondary feature is that it contains cells that are not related to the organ where the tumor is located. Striking examples are:

• angiosarcoma;
• Ewing's sarcoma.

In the examples given, the tumor is located in the bones. But the cells that form the sarcoma do not belong to this type (these are other types of cells). In the case of angiosarcoma, the tumor is formed from vascular cells (blood or lymph).

The following classification is based on the type of connective tissue. A tumor can develop from:

• muscles (myosarcoma);
• bones (osteosarcoma);
• vascular cells (angiosarcoma);
• adipose tissue (liposarcoma).

The last classification feature that I would like to mention is the maturity of the disease. According to this feature, it is customary to distinguish three groups:

• poorly differentiated;
• medium differentiated;
• highly differentiated.

The reasons

This section will list the causes of sarcoma. These include:

• Damage. This is due to the fact that after a cut or any other injury, an active process of regeneration and division begins. The immune system is not always able to identify undifferentiated cells in time, which become the basis of sarcoma. What can provoke its development? These can be scars, fractures, foreign bodies, burns, or surgery.
• Certain chemicals (asbestos, arsenic, benzene, and other chemicals) can cause DNA mutation. As a result, the future generation of cells has an irregular structure and loses its basic functions.
• Radiation exposure can change the DNA of a cell, the next generation of which will be malignant. The danger threatens people who previously irradiated the tumor, the liquidators of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, workers of the X-ray departments of hospitals.
• Some viruses are also capable of altering the DNA and RNA of a cell. These include herpes simplex virus type 8 and HIV infection.
• Rapid growth (more common in tall teenage boys). At the time of puberty, cells are actively dividing, so immature cells can appear. The most common sarcoma of the femur.

Signs of sarcoma

Diseases such as oncology, sarcoma are similar in symptoms. In this section, we list the signs of pathology. They depend on the location of the tumor. Even at a very early stage, education can be noticed, because sarcoma is distinguished by its active development. There are also joint pains that cannot be relieved with pain medications. In some cases, sarcoma can develop very slowly and do not show signs until several years.

With lymphoid sarcoma, there are:

• the formation of swelling in the lymph node (from two to thirty centimeters);
• painful sensations are weak or absent at all;
• weakness appears;
• efficiency decreases;
• body temperature rises;
• sweating increases;
• the skin turns pale;
• rashes are possible (allergic reaction to toxins);
• the voice may change;
• shortness of breath appears;
• lips become bluish;
• possible back pain;
• the patient may lose weight, as profuse diarrhea appears.

Soft tissue sarcoma has the following symptoms:

• the formation of tumors;
• pain on palpation;
• the tumor does not have a clear outline;
• a large number of swellings and nodules can form on the skin (purple nodules in young people, brownish or purple in older people);
• the diameter of the skin nodules does not exceed five millimeters;
• when the formations are injured, ulcers and bleeding may appear;
• itching is possible (allergic reaction to toxins).

If a tumor has formed in the lungs, then the following signs stand out:

• dyspnea;
• possible diseases such as pneumonia, dysphagia and pleurisy;
• bones thicken;
• joint pain.

Please note that the tumor can squeeze, then the following symptoms are observed:

• swelling of the face;
• bluish skin tone;
• expansion of superficial veins on the face and neck;
• bleeding from the nose.

Differences

Now let's answer the main question: how is cancer different from sarcoma? As mentioned earlier, both sarcoma and cancer are malignant neoplasms that result from malfunctioning cells. Diseases differ in that a cancerous tumor occurs in a certain organ, and a sarcoma can form anywhere in the human body. This is the difference between sarcoma and cancer. Please note that both diseases can metastasize and have a tendency to relapse.

Diagnostics

We answered the question of how cancer differs from sarcoma, now briefly about the diagnosis. To detect the disease, resort to the following methods:

• interview;
• laboratory research;
• histological studies.

In order to determine the location of localization, they resort to X-ray examination, ultrasound diagnostics, CT, MRI and other instrumental methods.

Treatment

It is important to note that there is virtually no difference in the treatment of sarcoma and cancer. Therapy in both cases consists of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. In addition, the patient receives additional dietary advice.

Forecasts

The less differentiation of cells, the more difficult it is to cure a patient. This is due to the fact that an immature cell often metastases. However, modern drugs have significantly reduced the risk of death. In 90% of cases, correct and timely therapy significantly prolongs the life or completely cures the patient.

The nature of malignant tumors is very diverse. There are many different forms of cancers, differing in structure, degree of malignancy, origin and type of cells. One of the dangerous formations is a sarcoma, which will be discussed.

What is this disease?

Sarcoma is a malignant tumor process that emanates from the connective tissue cellular structures.

According to statistics, the prevalence of sarcomas among all is about 5%. Such tumors are characterized by a very high mortality rate, since they are characterized by an aggressive course.

Localization

This type of tumor does not have any strict localization, since connective tissue elements are present in all structures of the body, therefore sarcomas can occur in any organ.

The photo shows what the initial stage of Kaposi's sarcoma looks like.

The danger of sarcoma is that in one third of cases this tumor affects young patients under 30 years of age.

Classification

Sarcoma has many classifications. According to the origin, sarcomas are divided:

• On tumors originating from hard tissues;
• Made from soft tissue structures.

According to the degree of malignancy, sarcomas are divided into:

1. High-grade- rapid division and growth of tumor cell structures, little stroma, well-developed vascular system of the tumor;
2. Low malignancy- cell division occurs with low activity, they differentiate well, the content of tumor cells is relatively low, there are few vessels in the tumor, and the stroma, on the contrary, are many.

Depending on the type of tissue, sarcomas are classified into, reticulosarcomas, cystosarcomas, etc.

According to the degree of differentiation, sarcomas are divided into several types:

• GX - it is impossible to determine the differentiation of cellular structures;
• G1 - highly differentiated sarcoma;
• G2 - moderately differentiated sarcoma;
• G3 - poorly differentiated sarcoma;
• G4 - undifferentiated sarcomas.

Cellular differentiation involves the determination of the type of cells, the type of tissue to which they belong, etc. With a decrease in cell differentiation, the malignancy of sarcoma formation increases.

With the growth of malignancy, the tumor begins to grow rapidly, which leads to increased infiltrativeness and even more rapid development of the tumor process.

Causes of the disease

The exact causes of sarcomas have not been established, however, scientists have established a connection between some factors and the tumor.

1. Heredity, genetic conditioning, the presence of chromosomal pathologies;
2. Ionizing radiation;
3. Carcinogenic effects such as cobalt, nickel, or asbestos;
4. Abuse of ultraviolet light with frequent visits to the solarium or prolonged exposure to the scorching sun;
5. Viruses like herpesvirus, HIV or Epstein-Barr virus;
6. Harmful industries associated with the chemical industry or oil refining;
7. Immune disruptions causing the development of autoimmune pathologies;
8. Presence of precancerous or;
9. Long-term;
10. Hormonal disruptions during puberty, which lead to intensive growth of bone structures.

Such factors cause uncontrolled division of cellular connective tissue structures. As a result, abnormal cells form a tumor and invade and destroy nearby organs.

Symptoms of sarcoma of various organs

The clinical manifestations of sarcoma differ in accordance with the specific form of the tumor, its location, and the degree of development of the sarcoma.

At the first stage of the tumor process, a rapidly progressing formation is usually detected, but with its development, neighboring structures are also involved in the tumor process.

Abdominal cavity

Sarcomas that form in the abdominal cavity have cancer-like symptoms. Abdominal sarcomas develop in tissues of various organs.

• Liver. It is rare, manifests itself as painful symptoms in the area of ​​the right hypochondrium. Patients noticeably lose weight, the skin becomes icteric, hyperthermia worries in the evenings;
• Stomach. It is characterized by a prolonged asymptomatic onset. Often discovered by accident. Patients note the appearance of dyspeptic disorders such as nausea, heaviness, flatulence and bloating, rumbling, etc. Signs of exhaustion gradually increase, the patient constantly feels tired, weak, depressed and irritable;
• Intestine. Such sarcomas are accompanied by pain in the abdomen, weight loss, nausea and belching, lack of appetite, frequent diarrhea, bloody mucous discharge from the intestine, frequent defecation, rapid exhaustion of the body;
• Kidneys. Sarcoma in the renal tissues is characterized by pronounced hematuria, soreness in the area of ​​the formation, the tumor can be palpated on palpation. Blood in the urine does not cause any other discomfort or urinary disturbances;
• Retroperitoneal space. Most often, a sarcoma grows to a significant size, squeezing adjacent tissues. The tumor can destroy the nerve roots, vertebral elements, which is accompanied by intense pain in the corresponding areas. Sometimes a similar sarcoma causes paralysis or paresis. When the tumor squeezes the blood vessels, swelling of the extremities and abdominal walls can occur. If the hepatic circulation is disturbed, then it develops, etc.
• Spleen. In the early stages of development, sarcoma does not manifest itself in any way, but with the growth of education, the organ grows, then the tumor begins to disintegrate, which is accompanied by a clinic of intoxication such as low-grade fever, anemia and progressive weakness. Also, splenic sarcoma is characterized by a constant feeling of thirst, lack of appetite, apathy, nausea-vomiting syndrome, frequent urge to urinate, pain, etc.;
• Pancreas. Such a sarcoma tumor is characterized by soreness, hyperthermia, weight loss, loss of appetite, diarrhea or constipation, jaundice, malaise and general weakness, nausea and vomiting symptoms, belching, etc.

As you can see, sarcomas of organs located in the abdominal cavity are often accompanied by similar symptoms.

Thoracic organs

Tumors of this localization most often occur as a result of metastasis from other foci. Symptoms, depending on the location, are somewhat different.

1. Sarcoma of the ribs. At first, the patient feels soreness in the area of ​​the ribs, chest and surrounding tissues, gradually the pains increase, and soon even anesthetics cannot cope with them. A swelling is felt on the ribs, which, with pressure, causes pain. The patient is worried about symptoms such as irritability, excessive excitability, anxiety, anemia, fever, local hyperthermia, and respiratory disturbances.
2. ... Such formations are indicated by a symptom such as excessive fatigue, shortness of breath, dysphagia (with metastasis into the esophagus), nausea and vomiting symptoms, hoarseness, pleurisy, colds, prolonged pneumonia, etc.
3. Heart and pericardium. The tumor is manifested by slight hyperthermia, weight loss, joint pain and general weakness. Then rashes appear on the body and limbs, a clinical picture of heart failure develops. Patients have swelling of the face and upper limbs. If the sarcoma is localized in the pericardium, then the symptoms suggest the presence of hemorrhagic effusion and tamponade.
4. Esophagus. The symptoms of esophageal sarcoma are based on swallowing disorders and pain. Painful symptoms are concentrated behind the sternum, but can radiate to the vertebral regions and scapular region. There is always inflammation of the esophageal walls. As in other cases, sarcoma is accompanied by anemia, weakness and weight loss. This pathology ultimately leads to complete exhaustion of the patient.
5. Mediastinum. The tumor spreads to all tissues of the mediastinum and squeezing and growing into the organs in it. When a tumor enters the pleura, exudate appears in its cavities.

Spine

Spinal sarcoma is a tumor malignant formation in the spinal tissues and adjacent structures. The danger of pathology in compression or damage to the spinal cord or its roots.

Symptoms of vertebral sarcoma are caused by its localization, for example, in the cervical, thoracic, lumbosacral or cauda equina.

However, all lumbar tumors have common features:

• Rapid tumor development (in a year or less);
• In the section affected by the tumor, pain is felt, which is characterized by a permanent nature, which is not eliminated by anesthetics. Although at first it is weak;
• Limited mobility of the affected vertebrae, forcing patients to take a forced posture;
• Complications of a neurological nature in the form of paresis, paralysis, pelvic dysfunctions, which are one of the first to manifest;
• The general condition of a patient with vertebral sarcoma is assessed by doctors as severe.

Brain

The main symptoms of cerebral sarcoma are:

1. Unexplained headaches;
2. Frequent dizziness with loss of consciousness, movements become uncoordinated, vomiting is often worried;
3. Behavioral disorders, mental disorders;
4. Frequent cases of epileptic seizures;
5. Temporary visual disturbances, however, against the background of constantly elevated ICP, there is a high risk of developing optic nerve atrophy;
6. Development of partial or complete paralysis.

Ovary

Ovarian sarcoma is characterized by large size and rapid growth, scanty symptoms such as nagging pains, heaviness in the lower abdomen, menstrual irregularities, and sometimes ascites. Sarcoma is often bilateral and has a very rapid development.

Eyes

Primary sarcomas usually form in the upper parts of the orbit, and this form is more common in children.

Such tumors grow rapidly, increasing in size. In the eye socket, there is a bursting and soreness. The eyeball is limited in mobility and shifts, exophthalmos develops.

Blood and lymph

The clinical picture of lymphosarcoma depends on the primary focus, more precisely, its localization. Lymphosarcomas are most often B-cell in nature and are similar in flow to acute leukemia.

Diagnostics

Diagnostic measures involve carrying out standard procedures such as:

• MRI either;
• X-ray;
• Radionuclide research
• Neurovascular or morphological diagnostics;
• etc.

How is sarcoma treated?

Treatment of sarcoma is mainly surgical with additional or. It is the combination treatment that provides maximum effectiveness.

This approach helps to increase the survival rate up to 70% of cases. Since the tumor is sensitive to radiation, this technique necessarily complements the surgical removal.

Prognosis and survival

Predictions for sarcoma are determined by the stage of the tumor process, its shape and localization, the presence of metastases, etc.

For example, in a third of cases, gastric sarcoma is characterized by early metastasis, which negatively affects prognosis. Retroperitoneal sarcoma is difficult to predict, because it has a lot of clinical course options with different outcomes.

Survival depends on the stage of development of such a tumor, the presence of metastases and the response to therapeutic intervention. If the tumor was detected at the final or thermal stage, then the survival rate is low.

More accurate predictions of survival depend on the specific type of sarcoma, each of which requires an individual approach. The response to treatment, the patient's condition and other factors are of no small importance.

The term "sarcoma" disease unites a whole group of malignant neoplasms that arise in the connective tissue of the human body. It is very dangerous with the severity of the course and a high percentage of deaths. The name of the disease is associated with how sarcoma looks like (the name came to us from the Latin sarcoma; derived from the ancient Greek - "flesh") - in the cut it has a pinkish-white color, the structure resembles fish meat.

Depending on the place of appearance, bone sarcoma, or osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, formed from cartilage tissue, myosarcoma (muscles are affected), liposarcoma (adipose tissue), and so on are distinguished. Also, sarcoma disease can affect the walls of blood vessels of the circulatory or lymphatic systems.

Sarcoma tumor is difficult to treat. It is surgically excised, and in addition, a combination of radiation and chemotherapy is used. When asked whether sarcoma can be cured, it is not always possible to give a positive answer. Sarcoma in children most often affects soft tissues, but there are other localizations as well.

In many cases, the reasons for sarcoma remain unclear. It is only known that some types of this disease develop against the background of immunodeficiency, can be triggered by some types of viruses (for example, herpes), and occur after injuries. Some scientists believe that heredity and genetic predisposition to tumors, sarcoma is the cause of a certain percentage of cases of the disease.

Sarcoma symptoms

Diagnosis of sarcoma will be carried out in a particular case in different ways. As a rule, patients first complain to their local doctor. Further, if necessary, he directs them to narrower specialists. Their examination and the results of primary tests - a routine complete blood count, urine test, ultrasound or X-ray may already show signs of sarcoma.

Emerging and growing skin lesions, swelling and edema should be examined by a pediatrician for signs of sarcoma. In relation to patients of childhood and adolescence with complaints of bone pain that do not have objective reasons, you also need to be careful.

With prolonged bone pain, swelling, or joint malfunction - in bone sarcoma, symptoms can coincide with many other diseases - the patient should be sent for an x-ray. Diagnosis of sarcomas formed in soft tissues is more difficult. Here, methods such as angiography, tomography, ultrasound and radionuclide studies are used. If sarcoma is suspected, the symptoms are carefully investigated, the tests are rechecked in order to establish the diagnosis as accurately as possible.

In order to determine the stage of the sarcoma, as well as to establish its form and class, a morphological (cytological, histological) study is carried out. To do this, the patient is sampled of cellular tissue material from the lesion. It is obtained by doing a puncture or incisional biopsy. When diagnosing the type and stage of soft tissue sarcomas, excisional biopsy is used, as the most effective.

Types of sarcoma

Sarcoma tumor is divided into two main types depending on the origin. Ewing's sarcoma, osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, reticulosarcoma and parostal sarcoma are formed from bone tissue. The rest of the varieties (there are more than twenty) are soft tissue sarcomas. These include Kaposi's sarcoma, skin sarcoma, cytosarcoma, neurogenic sarcoma, and others.

The names of tumors are given mainly according to the place of their formation. The exceptions are Ewing's sarcoma and Kaposi's sarcoma. They are named after the names of the scientists - the doctors who discovered them.

Ewing's sarcoma is one of the most aggressive malignant tumors. Its formation is localized mainly in the long tubular bones, ribs, pelvis, shoulder blades. The peak incidence occurs in adolescents 10–15 years of age.

Kaposi's sarcoma is an even more dangerous disease, which ends in death in almost 100% of cases. Almost always, the tumor is located on the skin, the mucous membrane is often affected, less often on the internal organs. It is widespread among patients with immunodeficiency conditions.

Depending on the presence and frequency of certain cellular and subcellular characteristics, soft tissue sarcoma, bone and vascular sarcoma are also classified upon diagnosis. Low-, medium- or highly differentiated tumors are divided. This division of sarcoma species is associated with the malignant biological behavior of their cells - uncontrolled proliferation with the capture and damage of healthy areas. Since the highest degrees are more likely to metastasize, such tumors, sarcomas are considered more aggressive.

How is sarcoma different from cancer?

To understand how sarcoma differs from cancer, one must remember that a cancerous tumor originates in the epithelial cells of an organ, and not in the connective tissue.

They are often confused because soft tissue sarcoma has features inherent in cancerous tumors. This is infiltrating growth with the capture and damage of the adjacent space, and relapses after surgical removal of neoplasms. The stages of the course of the disease are similar to cancer in sarcoma, the rapid development of the disease with the formation of metastases and their spread to the lungs with damage to the limbs, head, neck, trunk, or into the liver, as in abdominal sarcoma.

Can sarcoma be cured?

The prognosis for the detection of a sarcoma, treatment depends on the stage at which the disease is. What systems of the body was struck by the tumor, whether there are metastases, the type of tumor - all this will help answer the question of whether it is possible to cure sarcoma in each case.

Surgical removal of a sarcoma is a mandatory stage of treatment, if the area of ​​its location allows it. Different types of sarcomas require their own approach. Low-grade tumors are usually treated with surgery. Adding radiation and chemotherapy sessions for sarcoma helps prevent relapses. Intermediate and highly differentiated sarcomas of bone, lymph, skin are more often treated by actively combining surgery, chemotherapy and / or radiation therapy.

Finding that chemotherapy was highly effective for many types of sarcomas dramatically increased patient survival. Before chemotherapy was used, sarcoma was treated only with surgery and radiation therapy. The survival rate of patients with localized osteosarcoma was then about 20%, and today it has increased to 60-70%. This gives reason to believe that in the future the question of whether sarcoma can be cured will cease to arise, since doctors will only give a positive answer to it.

Sarcoma in children

Sarcomas in children are often characterized by rapidly progressive, sometimes explosive tumor growth. This course is due to the fact that the child's body differs from the adult by the active growth of connective and muscle tissues. Unfortunately, this is also associated with such a phenomenon as the frequent occurrence of relapses. Sarcoma in children ranks second, after cancer, among malignant neoplasms in terms of the number of deaths.

For children with sarcoma, treatment is a very difficult ordeal. Sometimes it can take a year or more. All this time, surgical operations, medication and supportive treatment are carried out. Chemotherapy for sarcoma is similar to cancer. It is prescribed in courses, after which tests are carried out for the presence of a tumor and metastases, and, if necessary, the treatment is repeated again.

But we should not forget that sarcoma is curable in a certain percentage of cases. And every child can and is simply vital to help!

Help children with sarcoma disease

At the moment, there are no children with this diagnosis in the care of our foundation. However, you can help sick children with other diagnoses!