Soft tissue sarcomas

Soft tissue sarcomas are cancers that develop in the supporting tissues of the body. These include tissues such as the muscle, nerves, fat and blood vessels.

There are many different types of soft tissue sarcoma. Your outlook depends on which type you have.

The symptoms of soft tissue sarcoma will vary, depending on the size of the cancer and where it is in the body.

We don't know what causes most soft tissue sarcomas. But some factors may increase your risk of developing it. Having any of these risk factors does not mean that you will develop cancer.

The type of soft tissue sarcoma you have tells you the type of cell that the cancer started in. Knowing this helps your doctor decide which treatment you need.

You usually start by seeing your GP. They will examine you and might refer you for tests or to a specialist.

Staging means how big the cancer is and whether it has spread. Grading means how abnormal the cancer cells look under a microscope.

You might have surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy or a combination of treatments to treat soft tissue sarcoma. 

Lots of advice and support are available to help you cope with soft tissue sarcoma and its treatment.

All treatments must be fully researched before they can be adopted as standard treatment for everyone. Discover the latest clinical trials that are underway for soft tissue sarcomas.