Adult Soft-Tissue Sarcoma

Why choose us for soft-tissue sarcoma care?

Sarcoma cancer makes up just 1% of adult cancers. Even the most common types of soft-tissue sarcoma are considered rare cancers. Our doctors care for more adult cases of soft-tissue sarcomas than most other centers in Texas, offering exceptional expertise close to home.

Here, you have access to some of the leading minds in musculoskeletal oncology. Our doctors have advanced cancer therapies (including treatments first explored in our own laboratories) at their fingertips. 

Find out more about our sarcoma cancer program.

What you need to know about soft-tissue sarcoma

• Soft-tissue sarcoma results when cancer cells (called a tumor) develop in the soft tissues that help hold the body together. These cancers can develop in muscle, tendon, fat or nerve tissues. It can form anywhere on the body but most often affects the arms and legs.
• There are more than 50 types of soft-tissue sarcoma. Even the most common types are rare. Our doctors care for a high volume of soft-tissue sarcomas, which helps us provide a higher level of care.
• Each subtype of sarcoma acts differently. Certain types of sarcoma cancer cells grow and spread faster than others. In-house molecular testing tells us which treatments are best for the specific cancer you have.
• Some types of soft-tissue sarcoma are more likely to recur (come back) after treatment has gotten rid of the tumor. Our team will come up with a plan to monitor your long-term health so that we can more easily detect a possible recurrence at the earliest stages.
• Your doctor will explain how clinical trial treatments may benefit you. We participate in all phases of clinical trials to offer expanded treatment options to eligible patients with sarcoma cancer.

How to talk to your doctor about soft-tissue sarcoma

You are more than a cancer diagnosis. We understand the weight sarcoma cancer can put on someone’s life, and we’re here to help you through it as best we can. You’re the central member of your care team, and we encourage you to voice questions and concerns at any point.

You might want to ask your doctor about:

• Additional testing, if any, you may need to inform your diagnosis or treatment plan
• Cancer details, including the type of sarcoma cancer, whether it has spread and how it could affect your long-term health
• Treatment options, including clinical trials you may be eligible for, now or later
• Potential treatment side effects and how we can help you continue your normal routine with as little disruption as possible
• Support services, like our active sarcoma survivor support group, where you can get advice and inspiration from people who are in different phases of their cancer journey

Please bring loved ones along to appointments or treatments, if you choose. An extra ear can help you remember important details about your care. Having someone by your side may also make cancer treatment easier.

Types 

We treat rare and frequently occurring forms of soft-tissue sarcoma cancer. The most common types include:

• Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma can start anywhere in the body, such as the legs or back, but may spread quickly.
• Liposarcoma develops in fat cells, often in the thigh or abdomen, and is less likely to spread.
• Leiomyosarcoma starts in the muscle cells that line certain organs like the stomach.
• Synovial sarcoma can start in different types of soft tissues and commonly shows up near joints in an arm or leg.
• Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors develop in tissue that surrounds and protects nerves.

Symptoms

People experience soft-tissue sarcoma differently. Your symptoms largely depend on what part of the body sarcoma affects. The type of sarcoma also plays a role in the symptoms you experience. It’s possible to have no symptoms at all.

Common soft-tissue sarcoma symptoms include:

• Pain or discomfort near a tumor
• Swelling by the affected area
• Pressure when a tumor presses up against an organ or other body part

Diagnosis

Our orthopedic oncologists diagnose soft-tissue sarcoma by performing a biopsy. During this procedure, we take a tissue sample from the area of concern and examine it under a microscope.

If we detect cancer, we analyze the cancer cells further to learn more about them. Identifying specific features (called biomarkers) of cancer cells helps us determine which treatments are most appropriate for you. Learn more about cancer diagnosis.

Other tests tell doctors whether cancer has spread to other parts of your body, and how far. Your doctor may recommend blood or imaging tests, such as CT or PET scans. These details help us decide which therapies may best treat the cancer that affects you.

Treatment

Treatment for soft-tissue sarcoma cancer almost always involves surgery to remove a tumor. Our surgeons’ experience means they can remove cancer cells precisely, with less impact to surrounding healthy tissue. Find out more about cancer treatments.

Soft-tissue sarcoma cancer treatment may also include:

• Chemotherapy and other medicines: With advances in drugs (such as targeted therapy and immunotherapy), we can target specific details of sarcoma cells to more effectively stop them from spreading.
• Radiation therapy: Our radiation oncologists use sophisticated technologies to hit cancer cells with high-energy beams while avoiding healthy tissues.

Certain types of sarcoma are more likely to resurface after successful treatment. We work closely with you to schedule appropriate testing so we can monitor your health in the years ahead. This way we have a better chance of detecting a recurrence during its early stages.

Research

Clinical trials offer eligible patients some of today’s leading cancer treatments close to home. As an academic research center, our scientists take part in a wide variety of nationwide and local research efforts. We have a team devoted to discovering new ways to treat these rare cancers.

Read more about cancer research and clinical trials.