Sarcoma Treatment

Sarcoma – Types & Stages

Sarcoma is a broad term for soft tissue cancers that can be applied to a number of conditions that have more differences than they do common aspects sometimes. One can always count on the sarcoma to be a tumor, but whether it is malignant or benign, its growth trajectory and even its structure can vary from subtype to subtype. That’s why it is important to understand as much as possible about your specific diagnosis.

Common Types of Sarcoma

There are over 50 subtypes of sarcoma that are classified by factors that include their growth pattern, structure, and the tissue they primarily affect. It would be cumbersome to list them all here because many are quite rare, but some of the more common subtypes include:

• Angiosarcoma
• Desmoplastic small round cell tumor
• Fibromyxoid sarcoma
• Gastrointestinal stromal tumor
• Kaposi sarcoma
• Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors
• Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma

These sarcoma subtypes are paired with an assessment of the tumor’s size and other factors to help determine what stage the cancer is in when it is diagnosed.

Sarcoma Stages

In addition to whether or not the lymph nodes are affected and whether or not metastasis has occurred, radiation oncologists working on sarcoma also grade the tumor’s size when assigning a stage to the cancer. Those sizes are:

• Gx: Not developed enough to be graded
• G1: Size 2 or 3
• G2: Size 4 or 5
• G3: Tumor size is 6 or larger

Tumors that do not have lymph node involvement and have not metastasized are typically assigned stage 1 or 2. Tumors that have metastasized might be assigned stage 3, but are more likely stage 4.

Sarcoma Screening, Detection & Treatment

Unfortunately, there is no easy way to detect sarcomas. At least, not for the majority of the population. There is a genetic test that can determine whether or not you have a predisposition to developing these tumors but only for people who have a specific family history of cancers and other related tumors. For everyone else, the recommendation is that you consult with your doctor immediately if you find any growth or a new lump that you can’t readily explain as being related to a pre-existing condition.

Sarcoma Cancer Treatment

Regardless of the type of sarcoma, the main treatment remains the same, and that is a surgical solution. This is because the only way to cure sarcoma is to remove it completely from the body. Other therapies may be used to support the surgical solution, but every Anchorage sarcoma treatment involves surgical intervention heavily.

• Stage 1: These tumors are quite small and typically can be removed readily. There may be some supplemental radiation or chemotherapy after.
• Stages 2 and 3: At these stages, the tumor’s growth is significant and there might be some involvement of the lymph nodes. If that happens, the affected nodes are typically removed. Larger tumors may need to be shrunk with radiation or chemotherapy before they can be removed.
• Stage 4: It is not often possible to completely cure stage 4 sarcomas, but when it can be done it is because the radiation oncologists determine a way to completely remove the tumors from each organ. That requires careful consultation with patients on an individual basis.