A sarcoma is a tumor that develops in the body's connective tissue, which arises from the layer of embryonic cells known as the mesoderm. Sarcomas are very rare and may be tricky to diagnose if a doctor does not have experience with them. When a doctor identifies this type of growth, a pathologist will assign a grade on the basis of certain cellular characteristics. The grade and location determine how treatable the tumor will be, and can provide information about the patient's prognosis.
Sarcomas can develop in bone, cartilage, and soft tissue like fat, muscles, and blood vessels. A doctor may use the term “soft tissue sarcoma” to describe tumors of the latter type. A low grade tumor is not very aggressive and can have a good prognosis. High grade tumors have a high statistical likelihood of metastasis and require very prompt treatment to attempt to halt the tumor in its tracks.
The terms used to refer to different kinds of tumors may reference a specific researcher or provide information about the type of tumor. A Kaposi's sarcoma, for example, is a tumor in the blood vessels, seen most commonly in immunocompromised patients like people with HIV and AIDS. By contrast, a chondrosarcoma is a tumor that arises in the cartilage. Sarcoma names will mention the tissue type and include “sarcoma” as a suffix; an osteosarcoma, for example, is located in the bone.
Options for treatment can include surgery to remove the growth, along with chemotherapy and radiation to kill the rogue cells. One problem with sarcomas is that they can spread uncontrollably across the body and are hard to stop. In Kaposi's sarcoma, for example, the patient will develop a single dark blotch of tangled blood vessels, and more will follow, even with treatment to address the growth.
Survival rates with sarcoma are highly variable. Patients with this diagnosis should discuss their treatment options and different prognoses with treatment, including no treatment. The patient may also want to find out about clinical trials, which can offer access to new treatments that are not yet available on the open market. These trials also contribute to the science of cancer research; even if the patient does not respond to treatment, he can still provide valuable information that may help other patients.
Patients facing a sarcoma diagnosis may want to consider a second opinion. The second doctor will probably concur with the initial diagnosis but may have insight into treatment options the patient may want to consider. A second opinion may also offer more information about prognosis or a chance at a better patient outcome.