Overview Sarcomas are growths which come from primitive cells seen in the human embryo. These cells have the ability to turn into the so-called connective tissues of the body; the tumors are named for the tissue type which they most resemble, e.g. Tumors which resemble bone-producing cells are called osteosarcoma; those looking like fat cells are called liposarcoma.


Many other types of sarcomas have descriptive names because they do not resemble any specific cell type - alveolar soft parts tumor or Phylloides tumors of breast or prostate. Sarcomas can occur in any part of the body and in total, make up less than 1% of all cancers.


Sarcomas are divided into two main groups because of similarities in presentation and treatment:

I. Sarcomas of the bone, bone marrow, and cartilage*

II. Soft tissue sarcomas

(*Myelomas, leukemias and lymphomas are cancers of the bone marrow, which are discussed in their own sections. Other cancers not originally arising in bone may spread to bone but are considered under the section dealing with the type of cancer that was first diagnosed - e.g. breast cancer spread or metastasized to bone is discussed under the breast section.)


General Information

 Different types of bone sarcomas appear to favour different age groups - many kinds    of primary bone sarcomas are more common in people under 20 - in particular,    osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma - also known as peripheral neuroectodermal tumors    (PNET)

 Primary bone cancers make up less than one half of one percent of all cancers. It is    more
   common for other types of cancer to spread to bone


 Bone sarcomas can occur in any bone in the body but commonly involve bones around    the knee and shoulder.