sarcoma | Prognosis and survival for soft tissue sarcoma

Prognosis and survival for soft tissue sarcoma

It is possible that people with soft tissue sarcoma ask questions about their prognosis and survival. Prognosis and survival depend on many factors. Only a doctor who is familiar with your medical history, the type of cancer you are diagnosed with, the stage and characteristics of the disease, the treatments selected and the treatment response can examine all of these data in conjunction with the statistics Survival to arrive at a prognosis.

A prognosis is the act by which the Doctor best evaluates how the cancer will affect you and how he'll react to the treatment. A prognostic factor is an aspect of the cancer or a characteristic of the person that the physician considers when making a prognosis. A predictive factor influences how the cancer responds to a certain treatment. Prognostic factors and predictive factors are often approached together. Both play a role in the choice of the treatment plan and in the prognosis setting.

The following elements are prognostic factors for soft tissue sarcoma.

Tumor size
A tumor measuring less than 5 cm in its larger size produces a better prognosis than a tumor measuring more than 5 cm.

Grade of tumor
The degree of soft tissue sarcoma provides valuable information on how quickly cancer is likely to grow and propagate. The rank also helps to establish the prognosis. Low-grade sarcoma is less likely to spread (metastasize) or re-offend. It creates a better prognosis.

Tumor depth
A tumor located near the body surface is a superficial tumor. It produces a better prognosis than the deep tumor.

Type of tumor
Some types of soft tissue sarcomas generate better prognosis than others. Liposarcoma, for example, produces a better prognosis than some other types of soft tissue sarcomas, such as malignant nerve sheathing of peripheral nerves and leiomyosarcoma.

Stage of cancer
The more precocious the stage of soft tissue sarcoma is when diagnosing, the better the prognosis.

Location of the tumor
Depending on the stage, soft tissue sarcoma that develops in an arm or leg tends to generate a better prognosis than a sarcoma that appears elsewhere in the body.

Margin status
The margin is the area of healthy tissue that surrounds the tumor and that is removed with mass during surgery. If there are no cancer cells in the margin, the surgical margin is said to be negative. If there are cancer cells in the margin, it is said that the surgical margin is positive. When the surgical margin is negative, it means that the tumor is less likely to reappear, or re-offend. So the prognosis is better than when the surgical margin is positive.

Age
People with soft tissue sarcomas who are under 60 years of age tend to have a better prognosis than those with over 60 years.


What is soft tissue sarcoma?
Soft tissue sarcoma is a malignant tumor that originates in the cells of the connective tissue or support tissue. The word "malignant" means that the tumor can propagate (metastasis) to other parts of the body.

Many different types of soft tissue are found throughout the body, including fatty tissue, muscles, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels and others. Soft tissues perform many functions whose main ones are to support, protect and connect body tissues and structures.

Soft tissue cells sometimes undergo changes that make their mode of growth or behaviour abnormal. These changes can result in the formation of a benign tumor, such as a lipoma that forms in fat cells, or a leiomyoma that develops from smooth muscle cells. Benign tumors are not cancerous. However, in some cases, changes in soft tissue cells can cause cancer.

The cancer that forms in the cells of soft tissues is called soft tissue sarcoma. Different types of sarcomas can take birth in different soft tissues. Since soft tissues are found throughout the body, soft tissue sarcomas can occur anywhere. More than half of all these sarcomas appear in an arm or a leg. Others develop in the chest, head, neck or abdomen.

Soft tissue sarcoma differs from bone cancer, which is also called Sarcoma. Bones and cartilage are specialized types of connective tissue, but they are not part of soft tissue. Sarcomas that affect the bones behave differently and are therefore treated in a different way from soft tissue sarcomas.

Soft tissue sarcoma Symptoms
It is possible that soft tissue sarcoma does not cause any signs or symptoms in the early stages since it usually originates in areas where the tumor can repel the soft tissue as it grows. The symptoms usually appear once the tumor has developed in the surrounding tissues and organs. Other medical conditions can cause the same symptoms as soft tissue sarcoma. Consult your doctor if you experience the following symptoms.

Common symptoms of soft tissue sarcoma
The signs and symptoms of soft tissue sarcoma may vary depending on the type of tumor and its location.

Sarcoma of soft tissues in a limb, thorax or region of the head and neck
Soft tissue sarcoma can develop almost anywhere in the body. More than 50% take birth in a limb, either an arm or a leg. They can also develop in the thorax or in the area of the head and neck. The most common symptoms of soft tissue sarcoma that originates in these parts of the body are mass and pain.

Usually the mass grows slowly, in a matter of weeks or months. People often notice earlier a mass that appears in a limb or in the area of the head and neck than in the abdomen. This is why the masses present in a limb or region of the head and neck are often smaller when detected.

Mass is often painless at first. By magnifying and exerting pressure on the nerves or tissues that surround it, it generates a certain sensitivity or pain

Sarcoma of soft tissues in the abdomen or retroperitoneal tumor
The abdomen is the part of the body lying between the thorax and the pelvis. The retroperitoneal tumor is the area on the back of the abdomen. At first it may not cause symptoms or they are very vague. A tumor in the abdomen can become big enough before it's detected.

The symptoms of soft tissue sarcoma in the abdomen or retroperitoneal tumor may be as follows:

Swelling of the abdomen or mass in the abdomen
Sensation of fullness
Abdominal pain (in about one third of people)
Nausea
Vomiting
Heartburn
Bleeding in the stomach or intestine
If there is bleeding in the stomach or intestine, you may see blood in your vomit or stool. Intestinal bleeding can make the stool black and sticky. Bleeding can also cause anemia symptoms including fatigue or weakness.

Kaposi's sarcoma
The signs and symptoms of Kaposi's sarcoma are among other things:

Slightly elevated plaques (lesions) of purple, brown, red or pink color anywhere on the skin
Masses in the mouth, nose, throat or anus
Fluid accumulation in limbs (lymphedema)
Unexplained cough or chest pain
Difficulty breathing
Unexplained pain in the stomach or intestine
Diarrhea or intestinal occlusion (blockage) caused by the tumor in the digestive system
Rare signs and symptoms
In rare cases, soft tissue sarcoma can cause general symptoms such as:

Fever
Chills
Abundant sweats
Weight loss
Fatigue