Your soft tissues connect, support or surround other tissues. Examples include your muscles, tendons, fat and blood vessels. Soft tissue sarcoma is a cancer of these soft tissues. There are many kinds, based on the type of tissue they started in. Sometimes they spread and can press on nerves and organs, causing problems such as pain or trouble breathing.
No one knows exactly what causes these cancers. They are not common, but you have a higher risk if you have been exposed to certain chemicals, had radiation therapy or have certain genetic diseases.
To diagnose soft tissue sarcomas, doctors must remove and look at piece of the tumor under a microscope. Treatments include surgery to remove the tumor, radiation therapy, chemotherapy or a combination.
National Cancer Institute
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Soft Tissue Sarcomas: Questions and Answers
(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Sites-Types/soft-tissue-sarcoma
- What Is a Soft Tissue Sarcoma?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_1x_what_is_sarcoma_38.asp?sitearea=cri
- Soft Tissue Sarcoma(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/soft-tissue-sarcoma/DS00601/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- What Is Rhabdomyosarcoma?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_1x_what_is_rhabdomyosarcoma_53.asp?sitearea=cri
- Can Rhabdomyosarcoma Be Found Early?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_3x_can_rhabdomyosarcoma_be_found_early_53.asp?sitearea=ped
- Can Soft Tissue Sarcomas Be Found Early?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_3x_can_sarcoma_be_found_early_38.asp?sitearea=cri
- How Are Soft Tissue Sarcomas Diagnosed?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_3x_how_is_sarcoma_diagnosed_38.asp?sitearea=cri
- How Are Soft Tissue Sarcomas Staged?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_3x_how_is_sarcoma_staged_38.asp?sitearea=cri
- How Is Rhabdomyosarcoma Diagnosed?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_3x_how_is_rhabdomyosarcoma_diagnosed_53.asp?sitearea=cri
- How Is Rhabdomyosarcoma Staged?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_3x_how_is_rhabdomyosarcoma_staged_53.asp?sitearea=cri
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Adult Soft Tissue Sarcoma (PDQ): Treatment(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/adult-soft-tissue-sarcoma/patient
Also available in Spanish http://www.cancer.gov/espanol/pdq/tratamiento/sarcoma-tejido-blando-adultos/patient/
- Chemotherapy for Rhabdomyosarcoma(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_4x_chemotherapy_53.asp?sitearea=cri
- Radiation Therapy for Rhabdomyosarcoma(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_4x_radiation_therapy_53.asp?sitearea=cri
- Sarcoma - Adult Soft Tissue Cancer: Chemotherapy(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_4x_chemotherapy_38.asp?sitearea=cri
- Sarcoma - Adult Soft Tissue Cancer: Radiation Therapy(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_4x_radiation_therapy_38.asp?sitearea=cri
- Sarcoma - Adult Soft Tissue Cancer: Surgery(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_4x_surgery_38.asp?sitearea=cri
- Surgery for Rhabdomyosarcoma(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_4x_surgery_53.asp?sitearea=cri
- Rhabdomyosarcoma: What Happens During and After Treatment?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_5X_What_happens_after_treatment_53.asp?sitearea=
- Sarcoma - Adult Soft Tissue Cancer: What Happens After Treatment?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_5X_What_happens_after_treatment_38.asp?sitearea=
- Sarcoma Subtypes(Sarcoma Foundation of America) - http://www.curesarcoma.org/subtypes.htm
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Synovial Sarcoma: Questions and Answers(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Sites-Types/synovial
- Do We Know What Causes Rhabdomyosarcoma?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_2x_do_we_know_what_causes_rhabdomyosarcoma_53.asp?sitearea=cri
- Do We Know What Causes Soft Tissue Sarcoma?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_2x_do_we_know_what_causes_sarcoma_38.asp?sitearea=cri
- What Are the Risk Factors for Rhabdomyosarcoma?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_2x_what_are_the_risk_factors_for_rhabdomyosarcoma_53.asp?
- What Are the Risk Factors for Soft Tissue Sarcoma?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_2x_what_are_the_risk_factors_for_sarcoma_38.asp?sitearea=cri
- What Should You Ask Your Doctor about Rhabdomyosarcoma?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_5X_What_should_you_ask_your_physician_about_rhabdomyosarcoma_53.asp?sitearea=
- What Should You Ask Your Doctor about Soft Tissue Sarcomas?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_5X_What_should_you_ask_your_physician_about_sarcoma_38.asp?sitearea=
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Rhabdomyosarcoma(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Rhabdomyosarcoma%22
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Sarcoma(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Sarcoma%22
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Genetics Home Reference: Li-Fraumeni syndrome(National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=lifraumenisyndrome
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Heat Therapy Makes High-Risk Soft Tissue Sarcomas More Treatable(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/results/hyperthermia0707
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NCI Researchers Identify Novel Mechanism for Spread of Sarcoma Tumors(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/pressreleases/SarcomaWeissman
- What's New in Soft Tissue Sarcomas Research and Treatment?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_6x_whats_new_in_sarcoma_research_and_treatment_38.asp?sitearea=cri
- What’s New in Rhabdomyosarcoma Research and Treatment?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_6x_Whats_New_in_Rhabdomyosarcoma_Research_and_Treatment.asp?sitearea=
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Treatment and outcomes of patients with primary breast sarcoma. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18723152&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Liposarcoma: outcome based on the Scandinavian Sarcoma Group register. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18720363&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors of the genitourinary tract--single entity or continuum? - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18707729&tool=MedlinePlus
- Soft Tissue Sarcoma -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=sarcoma[majr]+NOT+(sarcoma,kaposi[mh]+OR+rhabdomyosarcoma[majr]+OR+osteosarcoma[majr])+AND+(jsubsetk[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt])+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Rhabdomyosarcoma -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=rhabdomyosarcoma[majr]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]+AND+(review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
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Dictionary of Cancer Terms(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary/
- Find an Oncologist(American Society of Clinical Oncology) - http://www.cancer.net/patient/Diagnosis+and+Treatment/Finding+Quality+Care/Find+an+Oncologist/Find+an+Oncologist+Database
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National Cancer Institute Cancer Centers Program(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/NCI/cancer-centers
Also available in Spanish http://www.cancer.gov/espanol/instituto/hojas-informativas/programa-centros-oncologicos
- American Cancer Society - http://www.cancer.org/
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National Cancer Institute - http://www.cancer.gov/
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Cancer of the Soft Tissue including Heart(National Cancer Institute) - http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/soft.html
- What Are the Key Statistics about Rhabdomyosarcoma?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_1x_what_are_the_key_statistics_for_rhabdomyosarcoma_53.asp?sitearea=cri
- What Are the Key Statistics about Soft Tissue Sarcoma?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_1x_what_are_the_key_statistics_for_sarcoma_38.asp?sitearea=cri
- Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma(Children's Hospital Boston) - http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site564/mainpageS564P0.html
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Childhood Rhabdomyosarcoma (PDQ): Treatment(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/childrhabdomyosarcoma/patient/
Also available in Spanish http://www.cancer.gov/espanol/pdq/tratamiento/rabdomiosarcomainfantil/patient/
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Childhood Soft Tissue Sarcoma (PDQ): Treatment(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/child-soft-tissue-sarcoma/patient/
Also available in Spanish http://www.cancer.gov/espanol/pdq/tratamiento/sarcoma-tejido-blando-infantil/patient/
- Desmoid Tumors(Children's Oncology Group, National Childhood Cancer Foundation) - http://www.curesearch.org/for_parents_and_families/newlydiagnosed/article.aspx?ArticleId=4676&StageID=1&TopicId=1&Level=1
- Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumor(Children's Oncology Group, National Childhood Cancer Foundation) - http://www.curesearch.org/for_parents_and_families/newlydiagnosed/article.aspx?ArticleId=4674&StageID=1&TopicId=1&Level=1
- Fibrosarcoma(Children's Hospital Boston) - http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site897/mainpageS897P0.html
- Liposarcoma(Children's Hospital Boston) - http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site1096/mainpageS1096P0.html
- Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor (MPNST)(Children's Oncology Group, National Childhood Cancer Foundation) - http://www.curesearch.org/for_parents_and_families/newlydiagnosed/article.aspx?ArticleId=4670&StageID=1&TopicId=1&Level=1
- Kaposi's Sarcoma - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/kaposissarcoma.html
- Cancers - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/cancers.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Soft Tissue Sarcoma is the National Cancer Institute - http://www.nci.nih.gov/