Cancers form when malignant tumors continue to grow rapidly overtaking the growth and functioning of healthy cells in any part of the body. As there are malignant tumors, there are also soft tissue tumors, also known as benign tumors (another medical term), that are not necessarily cancerous. However, the medical term sarcoma indicates a disease, which means soft tissue sarcoma is a malignant soft tissue tumor. This is a rare type of cancer as it occurs in the tissue that connects and surrounds the body structure and provides it support.

Soft tissue sarcoma develops in soft tissues like fats, nerves, muscles, blood vessels, deep skin tissues, and fibrous tissues. Although soft tissue sarcoma can occur in any body part, the most common location for this cancer is arms and legs. Additionally, it can grow in other parts like the neck, the head, the trunk, internal organs, and the back side of the abdominal cavity.

Sarcomas that are often found in bones are common among children.

Causes and risk factors of soft tissue sarcoma
In general, the genetic mutation in DNA leads to soft tissue sarcoma. These mutations are responsible for abnormal and rapid growth cells that accumulate together forming a tumor. However, medical researchers haven’t found the exact cause of this type of cancer although there are several risk factors that are believed to be active triggers.

The risk factors for soft tissue sarcoma include the following:

• Inherited syndrome – One can inherit risk of soft tissue from their parents. Genetic syndromes that can increase one’s chances of developing soft tissue sarcoma include retinoblastoma, Werner syndrome, Li-Fraumeni, tuberous sclerosis, and adenomatous polyposis.
• Chemical exposure – Exposure to certain chemicals can lead to increased chances of developing this cancer. These chemicals include arsenic, digoxin, and herbicides.
• Radiation exposure – Certain preventive treatments for other kinds of cancers increase one’s chances of developing soft tissue sarcoma.

Symptoms of soft tissue sarcoma
In its early stages, soft tissue sarcoma may not cause any signs and symptoms. However, as the tumor grows, it may cause:

• Noticeable swelling or a lump
• Pain (if the tumor presses on the nerves or muscles)

Diagnosing soft tissue sarcoma
As soft tissue sarcoma have many different types, the first and most important step of diagnosis is determining the exact nature of the tumor in order to provide the best treatment for that type. Below are some ways doctors diagnose soft tissue sarcoma:

• Imaging tests – This method involves X-rays, computerized tomography (CT) scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography (PET) scan.
• Biopsy – Doctors often choose between two types of biopsy techniques that include core needle biopsy and surgical biopsy. In a core needle biopsy, a small portion of the tumor is obtained using a needle and checked for confirming if it is a malignant or a benign tumor. A surgical biopsy allows the doctors to obtain a larger sample of the tissue or tumor to conduct the test.

Treating soft tissue sarcoma
Soft tissue sarcoma can be treated using different methods that include surgery, radiation therapy, targeted drug treatment, and chemotherapy.