Soft Tissue Sarcoma

WHAT IS SOFT TISSUE SARCOMA?

Soft tissue sarcoma is a rare type of cancer that forms in muscle, fat, nerves, fibrous tissue, or blood vessels in the body.1 While it can develop in any part of the body, it’s most often found in the arms or legs.2 Each type of soft tissue sarcoma behaves differently depending on its location, how it grows, and how it affects nearby tissues—which means treatment plans can vary widely.3

50+ types of soft tissue sarcoma

50+

TYPES OF SOFT
TISSUE SARCOMA4

1% of all cancer cells are soft tissue sarcomas

1%

OF ALL CANCER CELLS IN ADULTS ARE SOFT TISSUE SARCOMAS5

6% of tutors in children upto age 15 are soft tissue sarcomas

6%

OF TUMORS IN CHILDREN UP TO AGE 15 ARE SOFT TISSUE SARCOMAS6

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF SOFT TISSUE SARCOMA?

Depending on the location of the sarcoma, it may cause other symptoms.7 

If it starts:

  • On the arms or legs, you may notice a lump that grows slowly but usually doesn’t cause pain7
  • Inside the abdomen, it may cause pain, bleeding, or blockage of the stomach or bowels7

Contact your doctor if you experience a new lump or mass anywhere in your body, if it is growing, or if you have worsening pain.7

HOW DO I GET A DIAGNOSIS?

Your primary care doctor can help you find an oncology care team in your area that specializes in treating people with sarcoma. You may want to seek out a sarcoma specialist. They’ll typically take your medical history, conduct a physical examination, and run several types of tests.8

Tests might include an X-ray, CT scan, MRI, PET scan, or biopsy.9 If a tumor is detected, and you and your care team decide to include biomarker testing, they may take a sample of your tumor during surgery.9

If you aren’t having surgery, they may perform a biopsy to obtain a tumor sample.9

What Are Biomarkers and Why Do They Matter?

WHAT ARE MY TREATMENT OPTIONS?

Soft tissue sarcoma treatments may often begin with surgery to remove the tumor.10 That may be followed by radiation therapy that can kill the remaining cancer cells.11 In many cases, doctors can also use systemic treatments like:

  • Chemotherapy11 
  • Targeted therapy11 
  • Immunotherapy11
  • Cell therapy

Your doctor will talk with you about choosing the approach for you and your specific type of cancer. Understanding your tumor’s biomarkers may be a critical piece of information to inform that discussion.

Download the Biomarker Fact Sheet to Support Your Next Doctor Discussion

References

  1. Vodanovich, D. A., & M Choong, P. F. (2018). Soft-tissue Sarcomas. Indian journal of orthopaedics, 52(1), 35–44. https://doi.org/10.4103/ortho.IJOrtho_220_17 
  2. Cleveland Clinic. (n.d.). Soft tissue sarcoma. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21732-soft-tissue-sarcoma 
  3. Paudel, A., Chattopadhyay, P., Rose, B., Watson, A., D’Amato, G., Trent, J., Bialick, S., & Jonczak, E. (2025). Systemic treatment in soft tissue sarcomas: Are we making a difference? Cancers, 17(5), 889. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17050889
  4. Sinha, S., & Peach, A. H. (2010). Diagnosis and management of soft tissue sarcoma. BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 341, c7170. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.c7170 
  5. Gamboa, A. C., Gronchi, A., & Cardona, K. (2020). Soft-tissue sarcoma in adults: An update on the current state of histiotype-specific management in an era of personalized medicine. CA: a cancer journal for clinicians, 70(3), 200–229. https://doi.org/10.3322/caac.21605 
  6. PDQ Pediatric Treatment Editorial Board. (2025, April 21). Childhood Soft Tissue Sarcoma Treatment (PDQ®). National Library of Medicine: National Center for Biotechnology Information. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK65923/
  7. MD Anderson Cancer Center. (n.d.). Soft tissue sarcoma symptoms. https://www.mdanderson.org/cancer-types/soft-tissue-sarcoma/soft-tissue-sarcoma-symptoms.html 
  8. American Cancer Society. (n.d.). Tests for Soft Tissue Sarcomas. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/soft-tissue-sarcoma/detection-diagnosis-staging/how-diagnosed.html
  9. National Cancer Institute. (n.d.). How Cancer Is Diagnosed. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/diagnosis-staging/diagnosis
  10. Yang, J. C., Chang, A. E., Baker, A. R., Sindelar, W. F., Danforth, D. N., Topalian, S. L., DeLaney, T., Glatstein, E., Steinberg, S. M., Merino, M. J., & Rosenberg, S. A. (1998). Randomized prospective study of the benefit of adjuvant radiation therapy in the treatment of soft tissue sarcomas of the extremity. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 16(1), 197–203. https://doi.org/10.1200/jco.1998.16.1.197
  11. PDQ Adult Treatment Editorial Board. (2024, December 5). Soft tissue sarcoma treatment (PDQ®): Health professional version. National Cancer Institute. https://www.cancer.gov/types/soft-tissue-sarcoma/hp/adult-soft-tissue-treatment-pdq

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