Bone and Soft Tissue Oncology

Patient and Family Education

Adult Soft Tissue Sarcoma

Symptoms and Diagnosis

Unfortunately, symptoms of soft tissue sarcoma often do not appear until after the cancer has started to spread, making treatment much more difficult. Only about 50 percent of soft tissue sarcomas are diagnosed at an early stage. When they do appear, symptoms may include a painless lump or swelling, pain in the abdomen, or blood in the stool or vomit. A person who experiences any of these symptoms should see a doctor.

If a patient has symptoms of soft tissue sarcoma, the doctor may cut out a piece of tissue from the swollen area. This procedure, called a biopsy, is the only way to confirm a cancer diagnosis. The tissue will be looked at under a microscope to see if it contains cancer cells. A patient may need to go to the hospital for this test.

The chance of recovery (prognosis) and choice of treatment for adult soft tissue sarcoma depend on the size and stage of the cancer (how far the cancer has spread) and the patient's age and general health.

This page was last updated on: September 21, 2009.