How is Sarcoma Diagnosed and Treated?
The typical soft tissue sarcoma is a soft tissue mass that is larger than 5 cm (2 inches) in diameter and has a soft tissue consistency or density that is firmer or more dense than normal muscle.
Soft tissue sarcoma frequently presents as a painless soft tissue mass that may be confused with a lipoma, the most common benign soft tissue tumor. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can usually distinguish between a benign lipoma and a malignant soft tissue sarcoma.
- Patients of any age with a soft tissue mass measuring 5 cm (2 inches) or more in diameter should have an MRI scan, CAT scan, or ultrasound. MRIs provide greater sensitivity and accuracy of diagnosis.
- The initial image, when reviewed by an experienced sarcoma radiologist, surgeon, or oncologist, is 80-90% accurate in diagnosing a soft tissue sarcoma.
- If the mass is suggestive of a soft tissue sarcoma on the scan, the patient should seek a referral with an experienced sarcoma specialist at a sarcoma center.
- A sarcoma surgeon (orthopedic or general surgery) and/or a medical oncologist will discuss the findings with the patient and determine the possible need for a needle biopsy. While the scan may provide an accurate image of the tumor, a needle biopsy will confirm a possible sarcoma diagnosis.
- If the initial needle biopsy is not clearly diagnostic, the biopsy may need to be repeated to obtain additional tissue for evaluation.
- Patients with a confirmed high-grade sarcoma will frequently be treated with 2-3 months of systemic chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy prior to tumor excision.
- Treatment progress should be assessed with a positron emission tomography (PET) scan within three months.
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