Soft tissue sarcoma

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Soft tissue sarcoma
Soft tissue sarcoma
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Soft tissue sarcoma

Sarcoma is a malignant tumor that develops from the embryonic mesoderm. Pathology is localized most often in the lower and upper limbs, less often in the mammary gland, heart, lungs, digestive organs or large vessels.

Soft tissue sarcoma is a rather rare disease, occurring in approximately 1-2% of the total incidence of malignant neoplasms. Most often, men aged 35 to 65 get sick, however, there are cases of the development of pathology in people under 30 years old.

Types of sarcoma

soft tissue sarcoma
soft tissue sarcoma

A large number of soft tissue sarcomas have been identified, each of which develops differently.

Most common species:

  • fibrosarcoma (cells - fibrocytes are affected);
  • myxofibrosarcoma (a type of connective tissue sarcoma);
  • desmoid tumor (also develops from connective tissue, but more slowly and without spreading to other parts of the body);
  • liposarcoma (body fat cells are affected);
  • synovial sarcoma (affects the area around the joints);
  • rhabdomyosarcoma (usually develop on actively working muscles - skeletal and striated muscles), in turn, this type is divided into three subspecies:
  • fetal (children are most often affected);
  • alveolar (tumor of "young");
  • pleomorphic (mostly older people get sick).
  • - leimosarcoma (smooth muscle tumor (uterine wall, stomach or intestines) and peripheral nervous system);
  • angiosarcomas (affect the cells of the organs of the circulatory system);
  • sarcoma of the gastrointestinal tract (affects the walls of the digestive organs);
  • Kaposi's sarcoma (the disease has a specific course, it begins with damage to skin cells, then pathological spots can develop on any of the organs).

Stages of development of soft tissue sarcoma

I stage - low-grade tumors, without metastases;

II stage - malignant neoplasms up to 5 cm in diameter;

III stage - deep-seated malignant neoplasms with a diameter of more than 5 cm.

IV stage - the presence of metastases in distant organs and tissues.

Causes of disease development

Reliable reasons for the development of this pathology have not been identified, but there are a number of factors contributing to its development:

  • exposure to chemical carcinogens;
  • genetic predisposition;
  • immunological factors (congenital or acquired immunodeficiencies);
  • viruses (HIV, herpes);
  • environmental factors;
  • radiation radiation;
  • frequent injuries.

Symptoms of soft tissue sarcoma

Symptoms of soft tissue sarcoma
Symptoms of soft tissue sarcoma

The term "soft tissue sarcoma" combines a large number of varieties of malignant neoplasms, however, there are a number of common symptoms for all:

  • appearance of swelling or puffiness;
  • visually noticeable neoplasm;
  • manifestation of pain syndrome (occurs when the tumor touches the nerve fibers);
  • constant feeling of malaise, fatigue, lethargy and insomnia;
  • drastic weight loss;
  • change in the skin in the area of neoplasm development (change of color, ulceration).

Diagnosis

Sarcoma is an inconspicuous and insidious disease, it can be detected by symptoms only in the later stages. For early diagnosis, you should consult a doctor with the first manifestations of unknown neoplasms, especially if there is a predisposition to the development of tumors.

Methods for diagnosing soft tissue sarcoma:

  • radiography - detection of neoplasm and its localization;
  • computed tomography (CT) - study of a tumor in cross section, giving information about the presence of metastases and the size of the tumor;
  • magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) - establishing the nature of the neoplasm, after removal - confirmation of the absence of any signs of pathology;
  • biopsy - the collection of cells directly from the tumor neoplasm, for their further diagnosis and diagnosis;
  • testing the cellular composition for chromosomal changes.

Treatment of soft tissue sarcoma

Treatment of soft tissue sarcoma
Treatment of soft tissue sarcoma

If soft tissue sarcoma of any kind is detected, treatment should be started immediately. As a rule, this is a complex therapy, which includes:

  • surgery;
  • radiotherapy;
  • chemotherapeutic procedures.

Surgical treatment is the main and much decisive method of treating severe pathological conditions, including cancerous tumors. The amount of surgical intervention depends primarily on the size of the tumor and its location. Excision is made within a certain anatomical region. If the form of the disease is advanced and complicated by metastases, amputation of the limbs or organ is performed.

Radiotherapy is used as an additional method of treatment. Preoperative irradiation greatly facilitates the procedure for removing the tumor, and also reduces the risk of recurrence. Brachytherapy is one of the methods of radiation therapy, which allows you to irradiate directly to the tumor, without affecting the surrounding tissue.

Chemotherapeutic procedures aimed at treating malignant neoplasms became so popular just a few years ago. Anticancer drugs are prescribed both before and after surgery, with or without radiation therapy. Thanks to this effect on the body, the development of metastases and relapses has significantly decreased.

Prevention

There are no specific methods for the prevention of soft tissue sarcoma. However, it is worth taking seriously the fact that people with the greatest likelihood of developing malignant tumors should undergo a follow-up examination at least once a year. Particular attention is paid to people who have received immunosuppressive therapy.

Separately allocate preventive measures for already operated people, as a rule, they are under dispensary observation in order to prevent the development of relapses.

When sarcoma is detected in the early stages of development, the prognosis is usually favorable, the survival rate is up to 80%. In cases where the tumor has spread widely throughout the body, the survival rate is significantly reduced to 35%.

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