Condition Lookup
Sub-Category:
Soft Tissue Sarcomas
Number of Conditions: 4
Liposarcoma
Specialty: Oncology
Category: Sarcomas
Sub-category: Soft Tissue Sarcomas
Symptoms:
painful or painless mass; swelling or lump in soft tissue; decreased mobility due to tumor growth; weight loss; fatigue
Root Cause:
Liposarcoma is a malignant tumor arising from fat cells, typically within the soft tissues of the body. It involves the abnormal growth of adipocytes (fat cells).
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosis is made through imaging tests such as MRI or CT scans, followed by a biopsy to confirm malignancy.
Treatment:
Treatment usually involves surgery to remove the tumor. Radiation therapy may be used post-operatively to decrease recurrence risk, and chemotherapy may be considered for more advanced cases.
Medications:
Chemotherapy drugs like doxorubicin (an anthracycline) and ifosfamide (an alkylating agent) are used in cases of advanced disease. These drugs fall under the category of anti-cancer agents, specifically cytotoxic chemotherapy.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Liposarcoma accounts for about 20% of all soft tissue sarcomas. It is rare, with an estimated annual incidence of 1 in 1 million people.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Age (more common in adults aged 40-60), previous radiation therapy, genetic factors (such as Li-Fraumeni syndrome).
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
The prognosis depends on the tumor's grade and stage at diagnosis. Low-grade tumors have a better prognosis, while high-grade or metastatic liposarcomas have a worse prognosis.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Recurrence after surgery, metastasis to lungs or other organs, complications from chemotherapy such as fatigue and immunosuppression.
Leiomyosarcoma
Specialty: Oncology
Category: Sarcomas
Sub-category: Soft Tissue Sarcomas
Symptoms:
painful lump; abdominal discomfort (if intra-abdominal); nausea; weight loss; fatigue
Root Cause:
Leiomyosarcoma is a rare malignant tumor that arises from smooth muscle cells, which are found in organs such as the stomach, intestines, and blood vessels.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosed through imaging techniques like MRI and CT scans, and confirmed with biopsy for histological examination.
Treatment:
Surgical removal of the tumor is the primary treatment. In some cases, radiation therapy or chemotherapy is used if the tumor cannot be completely resected or if it is metastatic.
Medications:
Chemotherapy drugs such as doxorubicin and ifosfamide are commonly used. These drugs belong to the class of anthracyclines and alkylating agents, respectively, and are employed to treat various sarcomas.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Leiomyosarcoma accounts for approximately 10% of all soft tissue sarcomas. It is relatively rare, with an incidence rate of 0.3 per 100,000 people annually.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Previous radiation therapy, age (commonly affects adults), genetic disorders such as hereditary leiomyomatosis.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Prognosis depends on tumor size, grade, and whether it has spread to other parts of the body. Recurrence is common, and the survival rate is lower for high-grade tumors.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Risk of metastasis to the lungs, complications from surgery, recurrence of the tumor.
Synovial Sarcoma
Specialty: Oncology
Category: Sarcomas
Sub-category: Soft Tissue Sarcomas
Symptoms:
painful mass; swelling; restricted joint movement; fatigue; fever in advanced cases
Root Cause:
Synovial sarcoma is a rare form of soft tissue cancer that typically develops near joints, particularly in the limbs, and originates from synovial cells, which are part of the lining of joints.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosis is confirmed through imaging (MRI, CT scans) and biopsy. A molecular test may be done to detect the specific gene translocation (SYT-SSX fusion gene).
Treatment:
Surgical resection is the primary treatment. If the tumor is inoperable or has spread, chemotherapy or radiation therapy may be recommended.
Medications:
Chemotherapy drugs like cyclophosphamide , ifosfamide , and doxorubicin may be prescribed. These are cytotoxic chemotherapy agents that target rapidly dividing cancer cells.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Synovial sarcoma is a rare condition, making up about 5% of all soft tissue sarcomas. It typically affects adolescents and young adults.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Age (commonly affects young adults), genetic mutations (SYT-SSX fusion gene), male gender.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
The prognosis depends on the size, location, and grade of the tumor. The survival rate is generally lower for tumors with metastasis at diagnosis.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Local recurrence, metastasis (especially to the lungs), complications from chemotherapy or radiation.
Angiosarcoma
Specialty: Oncology
Category: Sarcomas
Sub-category: Soft Tissue Sarcomas
Symptoms:
painful mass; skin discoloration; swelling; bleeding or bruising; fatigue; weight loss
Root Cause:
Angiosarcoma is a rare and aggressive cancer that arises from the lining of blood vessels or lymphatic vessels, leading to abnormal growth of endothelial cells.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosis is made through imaging techniques like MRI, CT scans, and a biopsy to confirm malignancy.
Treatment:
Surgical resection is the mainstay of treatment. For advanced or metastatic cases, chemotherapy and radiation therapy may be used.
Medications:
Chemotherapy drugs such as paclitaxel (a taxane) and doxorubicin (an anthracycline) are used to treat angiosarcoma. These agents are cytotoxic and target rapidly dividing cells.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Angiosarcoma is rare, representing about 2% of all soft tissue sarcomas, with an annual incidence of approximately 0.3 per million people.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Previous radiation therapy, chronic lymphedema (Stewart-Treves syndrome), certain genetic syndromes (e.g., neurofibromatosis type 1).
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Angiosarcoma has a poor prognosis due to its aggressive nature. The survival rate depends on the tumor's location, size, and whether it has spread.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
High risk of metastasis, particularly to the lungs and liver, recurrence, and complications from aggressive treatment regimens.