Sarcoma is a rare type of tumor that can involve the skin, bones, internal organs and soft tissues, such as muscles, tendons and fat, for example. There are several types of sarcoma, which can be classified according to where they originate, such as liposarcoma, which originates in adipose tissue, and osteosarcoma, which originates in bone tissue.
Sarcomas can easily invade other places around their place of origin, which makes treatment more difficult and compromises the person's quality of life. Therefore, it is important that the diagnosis is made early and, thus, treatment can be established according to the type of sarcoma, surgery for removal of the sarcoma and, in some cases, chemo sessions or radiotherapy.
Main types of sarcoma
There are several types of sarcomas that are classified according to their place of origin. The main types are:
- Ewing's sarcoma, which can appear in bones or soft tissues and is more frequent in children and young adults, up to 20 years old. Understand what Ewing's sarcoma is; Kaposi's sarcoma, which affects blood vessels, leads to the appearance of red lesions on the skin and is associated with infection by human Herpesvirus type 8, HHV8. Learn to recognize the symptoms of Kaposi's Sarcoma; Rhabdomyosarcoma, which develops in muscles, tendons and connective tissue, being more frequent in young people up to 18 years old. Know the symptoms of Rhabdomyosarcoma; Osteosarcoma, in which there is bone involvement; Leiomyosarcoma, which develops in places where there is smooth muscle, which can be in the abdomen, arms, legs or uterus, for example; Liposarcoma, whose development begins in places where there is adipose tissue.
In the early stages of sarcoma there are usually no signs or symptoms, however as the sarcoma grows and infiltrates other tissues and organs, symptoms that vary with the type of sarcoma may appear. Thus, it may be noted the growth of a nodule in a certain region of the body that may or may not have pain, abdominal pain that worsens over time, presence of blood in the stool or vomiting, for example.
The development of sarcoma is rare, however it happens more easily in people who have genetic diseases, such as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome and Neurofibromatosis type I, have undergone treatment with chemotherapy or radiation therapy or have infection with the HIV virus or with the human Herpesvirus type 8.
How diagnosis and treatment is done
The diagnosis of sarcoma is made by the general practitioner or oncologist using imaging tests, such as ultrasound or tomography. If any sign of abnormality is found, the doctor may recommend performing a biopsy, in which a sample of the possible sarcoma is removed and sent to the laboratory for analysis. Microscopic observation of the collected material allows us to say whether it corresponds to a sarcoma, its type and the degree of malignancy. That way, the doctor can indicate the best treatment.
Identifying the type of sarcoma is important so that treatment can be indicated, as sarcomas do not respond in the same way. That is, there are some types of sarcoma, such as alveolar sarcoma, for example, in which there is impairment of the pulmonary alveoli, which does not respond well to chemotherapy, requiring more specific treatments.
Treatment is usually initiated by surgically removing sarcoma and is followed by chemo and radiation therapy sessions according to the type of sarcoma identified. It is important that the diagnosis and treatment be made as soon as possible, because if the sarcoma infiltrates the organs and tissues that are around it, the surgery becomes more complicated.
