“The American Cancer Society’s estimates for soft tissue sarcomas in the United States for 2025 are:
These statistics include both adults and children.”
Key Statistics for Soft Tissue Sarcomas | American Cancer Society
Like many forms of cancer, soft tissue sarcoma symptoms may appear at a more advanced stage of the disease, or you might not notice any symptoms at all. Symptoms, if they are present, will also vary depending on the type of sarcoma and its location.
Signs of soft tissue sarcoma include:
A lump or mass is the most common soft tissue sarcoma sign. The lump will form in the area in which the tumor is growing, and it may be accompanied by some pain if it is pressing on a nerve or muscle. Even if the lump isn’t painful, if it continues to grow, or if it is located deep within an extremity or body cavity, consult your doctor.
Uncomfortable swelling is another sign of soft tissue sarcoma, especially when it is located in the arms and legs.
Limited mobility may be a symptom of soft tissue sarcoma. Some tumors can restrict motion, such as those found in the hip, knee, shoulder or hands.
Skin lesions can occur when a sarcoma tumor breaks through the skin.
Other symptoms may be signs of soft tissue sarcoma, because a sarcoma tumor can form almost anywhere in the body and can therefore affect a variety of organs. For example, sarcomas in the abdomen may cause abdominal pain, vomiting or constipation, while sarcomas in the uterus may cause vaginal bleeding and/or abdominal pain. With gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), you may feel full after eating only very small meals, or you may vomit blood or have dark bowel movements.
If your doctor thinks you may have a sarcoma, you’ll probably need a full exam and tests, including: A sample of cells from the tumor, called a biopsy. A plain x-ray to imaging tests, such as a CT scan, an ultrasound, an MRI, a PET (Positron Emission Tomography) to help see inside your body. A bone scan, if you might have osteosarcoma. Also a biopsy-several types of biopsies are used to diagnose sarcomas..
Surgery is typically the primary treatment for soft-tissue sarcoma, used to remove tumors. Chemotherapy, radiation therapy and/or targeted therapy may also be recommended, either alone or in combination with surgery, depending on the stage and extent of the disease, along with other factors.
The goal of surgery is to locate and completely remove the soft tissue sarcoma tumor. Our pathologists then examine the tumor to determine whether or not additional treatment is necessary, and to reduce the risk of recurrence.
Chemotherapy may be used in combination with surgery and radiation therapy to treat advanced-stage soft tissue sarcoma. Chemotherapy drugs work to either destroy cancer cells or impede their ability to grow and reproduce.
At our hospitals, we are developing innovative therapies personalized to the care of each soft tissue sarcoma patient. Our medical oncologists work closely with soft tissue sarcoma patients to determine if chemotherapy is an appropriate treatment option. Throughout your soft tissue sarcoma treatment, your care team continually monitors the effect of chemotherapy on the disease, with physical exams, blood tests, CT scans, MRI scans and chest X-rays and imaging.
Depending on the type of soft tissue sarcoma you have and the extent of the disease, your soft tissue sarcoma treatment plan may include radiation therapy. Though surgery is usually the main treatment approach for soft tissue sarcoma, radiation treatments may also be used before (neoadjuvant therapy) or following surgery (adjuvant therapy).
Unlike standard chemotherapy drugs, which may affect all cells in the body, targeted therapy drugs are designed to seek out and kill specific cancer cells while sparing surrounding healthy cells. Targeted cancer therapies may be used alone, in combination with other targeted therapy treatments or with other soft tissue sarcoma treatments, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery. Among the drugs used in targeted therapy are so-called kinase inhibitors, which target specific protein receptors that help regulate cell growth.
“Carcinoma is one of the five main types of cancer.
Carcinomas are the kind you hear about the most. When people say they have skin cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer and so on, those are all carcinomas.
“Carcinomas are the most common type of cancer. They’re the ones most people immediately think of,” Dr. Shepard says.
That’s because 80% of cancer diagnoses are carcinomas.
Carcinomas are cancers that develop in your epithelial cells. Those are the cells at the outermost layer of the surfaces inside and outside your body. They’re the cells that surround your skin, as well as your organs and glands.”
Cleveland Clinic (The Difference Between Carcinoma and Sarcoma)
Sarcoma is a rare but deadly form of cancer affecting connective tissues such as fat, muscle, blood vessels, nerve, bone, deep skin and cartilage. There are roughly 15,000 new cases in the United States each year, with a very low median age of 36 (for bone sarcomas). Survival rates are low, even in comparison to other rare cancers. Rhabdomyosarcoma, a relatively common sarcoma, has a five-year survival rate of 65%, even if caught before metastasis. If caught after metastasis, the five-year survival rate lowers to approximately 30%. This is all to say that while sarcomas are rare, they are extremely devastating.
Sarcomas are a diverse and sporadic group of tumors that have minimal hereditary influence. They are generally classified into two major groups; the group of tumor-specific reoccurring genetic mutations via specific and aberrant chromosome translocation, and the group of non-reoccurring mutations which are based on severe genetic and chromosomal instability. Both groups have altered cell growth-factor signaling pathways. As a result, the introduction of drugs which can normalize growth-factor receptors and proteins are of great interest and the primary treatment given. With improvements in these drugs, it is believed that sarcoma can move from a deadly disease to a chronic but non-life-threatening disease.
Unfortunately, the specificity of the first group of sarcomas, where specific chromosomes are improperly translocated, can often permit the sarcoma to prevail after standard treatment. This is obviously problematic but, if overcome, could spark the development of a whole new field of cancer treatment. In other words, if scientists can discover how to isolate and guide specific chromosomal arrangement, they will able to address many of the hard to treat cancers of today.
With genetic engineering it is theoretically possible to prevent cancer before it begins. However, even without moving this far into the future, the improper chromosomal translocation can provide a sort of name-tagging of the cancer cell. With the cancer cells identified, it can guide modalities aimed at destroying diseased tissue while sparing healthy tissue.
Sarcoma is an under-researched cancer whose research can help to elevate cancer treatment, as a whole. Not only would breakthroughs save the lives of countless children, it could also advance medicine, as a whole. By bringing awareness to sarcoma and the potential development its research can spark, this potential can become a reality.
Soft tissue sarcomas may develop in any tissue that connects, supports or surrounds other structures and organs in the body. Some examples of where soft tissues sarcomas can develop are muscles, fascia (the tough membrane that surrounds muscles), tendons, fat, blood vessels, nerves and synovial tissues (connective tissue that makes up the membranes surrounding joints).
Soft tissue sarcomas are rare in adults, accounting for less than 1 percent of all new cases of cancer. The American Cancer Society reports that about 12,750 new cases of soft tissue sarcoma will be diagnosed in 2019 (7,240 cases in males and 5,510 cases in females). Sarcomas can be found almost anywhere in the body.
According to the National Cancer Institute, about 50 percent of soft tissue sarcoma cases occur in the extremities (arms and legs), 40 percent occur in the trunk (back and chest), and 10 percent occur in the head and neck.
The American Cancer Society states the following on causes of Sarcoma:
“Scientists don’t know exactly what causes most soft tissue sarcomas , but they have found some risk factors that can make a person more likely to develop these cancers. And research has shown that some of these risk factors affect the genes in cells in the soft tissues.
Researchers have made great progress in understanding how certain changes in DNA (pieces of genes) can cause normal cells to become cancer. DNA carries the instructions for nearly everything our cells do. We usually look like our parents because they are the source of our DNA. But DNA affects more than just the way we look.
The DNA is made of genes. Genes carry the recipes for making proteins, the molecules that control all cell functions. Some genes contain instructions for proteins that control when our cells grow and divide.
Cancers can be caused by DNA mutations (defects) that turn on oncogenes or turn off tumor suppressor genes.
Many family cancer syndromes have been found in which inherited DNA mutations cause a very high risk of developing breast, colon, kidney, eye, or other cancers. Some of these syndromes are also linked to an increased risk of developing soft tissue sarcomas.
DNA mutations in soft tissue sarcoma are common. But they’re usually acquired during life rather than having been inherited before birth. Acquired mutations may result from exposure to radiation or cancer-causing chemicals. In most sarcomas, they occur for no apparent reason.
Researchers still don’t know why most soft tissue sarcomas develop in people who have no apparent risk factors.”
“Cardiomyopathy can be caused by various factors, including genetic predisposition, viral infections, alcohol abuse, high blood pressure, autoimmune diseases, and certain medications. Complications of cardiomyopathy can include arrhythmias, heart failure, stroke, heart valve disease, cardiac arrest, and cardiogenic shock. Early detection and management are crucial to prevent these complications.”
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (Cardiomyopathy – Causes and Risk Factors | NHLBI, NIH)
There are a number of factors that can increase your risk of cardiomyopathy, including:
Cardiomyopathy can lead to other heart conditions, including:
In many cases, you can’t prevent cardiomyopathy. Let your doctor know if you have a family history of the condition.
You can help reduce your chance of cardiomyopathy and other types of heart disease by living a heart-healthy lifestyle and making lifestyle choices such as:
“Cardiomyopathy (kahr-dee-o-my-OP-uh-thee) is a disease of the heart muscle. It causes the heart to have a harder time pumping blood to the rest of the body, which can lead to symptoms of heart failure. Cardiomyopathy also can lead to some other serious heart conditions.
There are various types of cardiomyopathy in all age groups.”
MAYO CLINIC (Cardiomyopathy – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic)
C
Cardiomyopathy is cardiomyopathy, meaning rather in adult or child the same problems in each age group occur but degree of the disease varies for all, it is case by case. What is cardiomyopathy?
Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle characterized by an abnormally large, thick or stiff heart muscle. It may affect only the heart’s lower chambers (ventricles) or both the lower and upper chambers (atria). For an adult there just more wear and tear on the organ due to age and severity of the disease.
Cardiomyopathy causes damage to tissue around the heart, as well as heart muscle cells. In severe cases, the heart becomes so weak that it can’t pump blood properly. This can lead to heart failure or irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias). In some cases, cardiomyopathy also involves a buildup of scar tissue or fat within the heart muscle. In rare cases, the heart muscle can’t relax and blood can’t fill the heart properly.
Remember the natural pacemaker in humans is located in the upper right chamber (Rt. atrium) in the upper right region called the sinus node. The sinus node initiates our impulses from that right atrium across to the Lt. atrium and works the impulse sensation down thru the A-V node-atrioventricular node (site between upper and lower chambers in the heart located at the inferior end of the interatrial septum ending at the top of the ventricles in the heart)). From the A-V node the impulse sensation continues on from A-V node to the end of the lower right and left lower chambers (called the ventricles) of the heart that continues up the ventricles and passing through the bundle of His to the bundle branches/Purkinje fibers (The bundle of His is an important part of the electrical conduction system of the heart, as it transmits impulses from the A-V node, located at the inferior end of the interatrial septum, to the ventricles of the heart). Than the impulse sensation goes located in the inner ventricular walls of the heart radiating over the outside of the ventricles = Purkinje Fibers. This whole process allows the heart beat to occur sounding “LubDub”.
This entire impulse conduction process allows the heart to fill up the chambers with blood first in upper chambers to lower ones to releasing the blood in the ventricles (the Rt Ventricle pumps blood to the heart to get more oxygen from lungs that sends this fresh oxygenated blood to the left side of the heart. The left ventricle pumps the filling of its blood into our blood stream called Cardiac Output in creating the heart to beat. Stroke Volume x Heart Rate=our Cardiac Output (SVxHR=CO). Stroke volume is the amount of blood circulated by the heart with each beat x HR = beat in 60 secs.
Cardiomyopathy is very often a “time-will-tell” disease. Symptoms can vary and the progression of the disease can be unpredictable. There are many forms of cardiomyopathy; just like in the adult.
The main types include:
DCM is the most common type and occurs when the main pumping chamber of the heart muscle is too stretched out (dilated). Dilated cardiomyopathy makes the heart unable to pump blood effectively.
HCM makes the heart muscle too thick. Usually, the thickening occurs in the muscle of the left ventricle in the heart, often involving the wall between the heart’s two ventricles.
Restrictive cardiomyopathy is a rare type of cardiomyopathy that causes the heart muscle to become very rigid or stiff. This makes it difficult for the ventricles of the heart to properly fill with blood.
ARVC is a rare form of cardiomyopathy that affects only one in 5,000 people. It occurs when the muscle of the heart’s right ventricle is replaced by thick or fatty scar tissue. The scarring “scrambles” electrical signals within the heart and can make it difficult for the heart to pump blood.
Remember the sinus node (natural pacemaker) of the heart.
Because the symptoms of cardiomyopathy can be diverse, it is often misdiagnosed as asthma, an infection or a gastrointestinal problem but the tests similar to adults tests being ruled out for this disease. Remember its the same problem at a different age.
In children who have no symptoms, cardiomyopathy is sometimes diagnosed when the child has a chest x-ray that shows an enlarged heart or an echocardiogram for another reason.
If your child’s doctor suspects cardiomyopathy, he or she may order one or more of the following tests, from least invasive to most invasive tests:
Your child’s treatment options will be determined by the type of cardiomyopathy he or she has, as well as the specific symptoms. A child with no symptoms might not need medication or other treatment right away. Instead, the cardiologist will monitor your child to gauge the progression of the disease.
A child with more serious symptoms may need additional tests to give the treatment team more detailed information about how the cardiomyopathy is affecting the heart and the rest of the body. .
Many children with cardiomyopathy do well with medication alone. Others need surgery to improve the function of valves, and in the most severe cases, some children need a heart transplant.
There are several different types of medications for cardiomyopathy, depending on which type your child has and the symptoms.
There are several options for treating cardiomyopathy using surgery or minimally-invasive procedures.
For some children with cardiomyopathy — particularly HCM — an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) can be a life-saving option. This tiny instrument, about the size of a deck of cards, is placed in the chest to monitor the child’s heartbeat. If the child has an arrhythmia, the defibrillator will administer a precise electrical pulse to restore normal heart rhythm.
Pacemaker implantation is minimally invasive option for some children with cardiomyopathy. The pacemaker — a small electronic device — is inserted directly under the skin, where it sends electric signals to the child’s heart, controlling and monitoring the heart rate. The procedure can be performed under local anesthesia in a matter of hours.
Radiofrequency ablation is another type of minimally invasive treatment that can be very effective for some children with cardiomyopathy due to arrhythmia. A small, needle-like probe is inserted into the scarred tissue of the heart muscle, sending out radiofrequency waves that burns away the scar tissue and the arrhythmia.
In serious cases of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the treatment team may perform a surgery called a septal myectomy or septal myomectomy. This procedure involves the removal of a portion of the thickened muscle in the heart, widening the channel in the heart’s ventricle that leads to the aortic valve. The procedure has a very good success rate, and most children have improved blood flow throughout the heart and body.
In certain types of cardiomyopathy, a ventricular-assist device (VAD) can be used to help recover the heart and normalize the heart’s function. After the heart’s function has returned to normal, the VAD will be removed and the child will be monitored for any further heart problems. This approach using the VAD is called a “bridge to recovery.”
Children with the most severe cases of cardiomyopathy may need a heart transplant if other methods don’t manage symptoms. While your child is waiting for an available heart, a VAD may be used to support the heart. In many cases, children can return to school and other activities while waiting for a transplant.
So similar to how adults are treated also with cardiomyopathy. The age is the pretty much the difference.
“In the United States, approximately 1.1 million people, have some form of cardiomyopathy. In 2021, there were 14,770 hospitalizations for cardiomyopathy as the principal diagnosis, and it accounted for 23% of all heart failures. Some people with cardiomyopathy don’t ever get symptoms. For others, symptoms appear as the condition becomes worse. ”
American Heart Association (2024-Statistics-At-A-Glance-final_2024.pdf)
Cardiomyopathy (kahr-dee-o-my-OP-uh-thee) is a disease of the heart muscle that makes it harder for your heart to pump blood to the rest of your body. Cardiomyopathy can lead to heart failure.
There might be no signs or symptoms in the early stages of cardiomyopathy. But as the condition advances, signs and symptoms usually appear, including:
Signs and symptoms tend to get worse unless treated. In some people, the condition worsens quickly; in others, it might not worsen for a long time.
See your doctor if you have one or more signs or symptoms associated with cardiomyopathy. Call 911 or your local emergency number if you have severe difficulty breathing, fainting or chest pain that lasts for more than a few minutes.
Because some types of cardiomyopathy can be hereditary, if you have it your doctor might advise that your family members be checked.
Often the cause of the cardiomyopathy is unknown. In some people, however, it’s the result of another condition (acquired) or passed on from a parent (inherited).
Contributing factors for acquired cardiomyopathy include:
Heart Enlarged