Cancer is one of the most dreaded terms that we all hear from time to time. There are many stories of tragedy that are associated with this word, and many stories of overcoming adversary which can be associated. Soft tissue sarcoma is a form of cancer that affects the soft tissues that exist in your body. Read on to know everything about this potentially fatal disease.
All About Soft Tissue: To understand what soft tissue sarcoma is, first we will have to understand what soft tissue is. This tissue is the connective kind which surrounds our various structures within the body. This includes muscles, fat, blood, nerves, tendons and much more. This kind of tissue can also be found in the lining of the joints.
Soft Tissue Sarcoma: When cancer begins in this soft tissue, the condition is known as soft tissue sarcoma. It is known to affect children more commonly, but adults may also fall prey to the same. While it can be found in any part of the body, it is typically known to start in areas like the abdomen as well as the limbs.
Causes: There are many causes of this disease, including the DNA of the patient. The mutations that are responsible for the start of this disease can also be found in those who have had a family history of this disease. The error filled DNA can also trigger genetic mutations due to which the cells grow and divide at an alarming pace. These cells then manifest into a growth which can infest the nearby organs as well as the blood. There are many kinds of soft tissue sarcoma depending on the kind of mutation that may have taken place.
Symptoms: There are a number of symptoms that can be born with this kind of disease. The issue is that in the early stages, there may not be any kind of obvious symptoms. Due to this fact, the detection and diagnosis may be delayed which leads to late diagnosis and delayed treatment as well. This is the reason why the treatment or recovery outlook is pretty low as well. Yet, if one can actively notice the swelling on nerves and tendons on a regular basis and without any proper explanation or injury, then the same must be reported to a doctor.
Diagnosis: There are a number of tests that can be conducted in order to diagnose this condition. Imaging tests like X rays, ultrasounds and MRI scans can help in detecting the existence and spread of the disease, while other tests like a Positron Emission Tomography can also help in diagnosis. Also, the oncologist may remove a sample tissue so as to conduct a biopsy to find out whether or not you are suffering from this disease.
Treatment: Surgery is one of the most common measures that most doctors will recommend in order to treat soft tissue sarcoma. Also, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and drug treatment can help in treating this condition.