Overview

A sarcoma is a type of cancer that usually develops from certain tissues like, within the bone or muscle. Bone and soft tissue sarcomas are the main types. Soft tissue sarcomas are a group of cancers that grow in parts of your body such as your muscles, bones, deep layers of skin, or in fat. Additionally, they can also occur in blood vessels, nerves or connective tissues, which support organs and other kinds of tissues. While they can happen in any part of the body, the most common locations are arms, legs and abdomen. Soft tissue sarcomas are rare and account for less than 1% of all cancer cases. There are however, dozens of different types of soft tissue sarcomas and they can happen in children and adults. The most common types of soft tissue sarcomas are:

• Angiosarcoma: Angiosarcoma is a rare type of cancer that forms in the lining of the blood vessels and lymph vessels. Angiosarcoma can occur anywhere in your body, but it most often occurs in the skin on your head and neck.
• Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans: Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a very rare type of skin cancer that begins in connective tissue cells in the middle layer of your skin (dermis). Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans may at first appear as a bruise or scar. As it grows, lumps of tissue (protuberans) may form near the surface of the skin. This skin cancer often forms on the arms, legs and trunk.
• Epithelioid Sarcoma: Epithelioid sarcoma is a rare, slow-growing type of soft tissue cancer. Most cases begin in the soft tissue under the skin of a finger, hand, forearm, lower leg or foot, though it can start in other areas of the body. Typically, epithelioid sarcoma starts as a small firm growth or lump that’s painless. It usually starts out as a single growth, but multiple growths may occur.
• Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumour (GIST): These are soft-tissue sarcomas that can be located in any part of the digestive system. Their most common sites are the stomach and small intestine. GISTs start in specialized nerve cells located in the walls of your digestive system. These cells are part of the autonomic nervous system. A specific change in the DNA of one of these cells, which control such digestive processes as movement of food through the intestines, gives rise to a GIST.
• Kaposi’s Sarcoma: is a type of cancer that forms in the lining of blood and lymph vessels. The tumours (lesions) of Kaposi’s sarcoma typically appear as painless purplish spots on the legs, feet or face. Lesions can also appear in the genital area, mouth or lymph nodes. In severe Kaposi’s sarcoma, lesions may develop in the digestive tract and lungs.
• Leiomyosarcoma: Leiomyosarcoma is a rare type of cancer that affects smooth muscle tissue. These tumours are most common in the abdomen, but can occur anywhere in the body, including the uterus. Other common sites include blood vessels and skin.
• Liposarcoma: Liposarcoma can occur in fat cells in any part of the body, but most cases occur in the muscles of the limbs or in the abdomen. Liposarcoma occurs most often in older adults, though it can occur at any age.
• Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumours: Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumours are a rare type of cancer that occurs in the lining of the nerves that extend from the spinal cord into the body. Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumours used to be called neurofibrosarcomas. Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumours can occur anywhere in the body, but most often occur in the deep tissue of the arms, legs and trunk. They tend to cause pain and weakness in the affected area and may also cause a growing lump or mass.
• Myxofibrosarcoma: Myxofibrosarcoma (MFS) is a type of cancer that typically appears as a slow-growing, painless lump on one of your legs or arms. The disease occurs mainly in people between the ages of 50 and 70 and is slightly more common in men than in women.
• Rhabdomyosarcoma: Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a rare cancer that forms in soft tissue — specifically skeletal muscle tissue or sometimes in hollow organs such as the bladder or uterus. RMS can occur at any age, but it most often affects children.
• Solitary Fibrous Tumour: Solitary fibrous tumours are rare growths of soft tissue cells that can form nearly anywhere in the body. Solitary fibrous tumours most often occur in the lining around the outside of the lungs (pleural solitary fibrous tumours). Solitary fibrous tumours have also been found in the head and neck, breast, kidney, prostate, spinal cord, and other sites.
• Synovial Sarcoma: Synovial sarcoma is a rare type of cancer that tends to arise near large joints, particularly the knee, in young adults. Despite its name, it typically doesn’t affect the interior of joints, where synovial tissue and fluid are located.
• Undifferentiated Pleomorphic Sarcoma: It was formerly referred to as malignant fibrous histiocytoma, is a type of soft tissue cancer. The word “undifferentiated” in undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma means that the cells don’t resemble the body tissues in which they develop. The cancer is called pleomorphic (plee-o-MOR-fik) because the cells grow in multiple shapes and sizes.