Sarcoma Awareness Month highlights importance of early diagnosis

A painless lump may seem harmless, but Arizona cancer specialists say it could be an early warning sign of sarcoma, a rare form of cancer that is often overlooked because symptoms can resemble common injuries or benign growths.

In recognition of Sarcoma Awareness Month, the Arizona Center for Cancer Care is encouraging residents to seek medical evaluation for unusual lumps, persistent swelling or unexplained pain that does not improve. Physicians say early diagnosis can significantly improve treatment options and patient outcomes.

Sarcoma accounts for about 1% of all adult cancers and approximately 15% of childhood cancers in the United States. More than 18,000 people are diagnosed each year, including children, adolescents and adults. Because sarcomas can develop in muscles, fat, nerves, connective tissue and bone, symptoms are frequently mistaken for sports injuries, muscle strains or noncancerous tumors.

“One of the biggest challenges with sarcoma is that many tumors don’t hurt in the early stages,” said Dr. Apar Gupta, a radiation oncologist at Arizona Center for Cancer Care. “If someone notices a lump that’s growing, larger than a golf ball, or has been present for several weeks without improving, it deserves medical attention. Early diagnosis can expand treatment options and improve the chances of preserving normal function.”

Arizona records several hundred new cases of soft tissue and bone sarcomas each year, according to state cancer registry estimates. While sarcoma can develop at any age, physicians say certain types are more common in specific age groups.

Soft tissue sarcomas are diagnosed more frequently in adults older than 55, while bone sarcomas, including osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma, occur more often in children, teenagers and young adults. Overall, the risk of many soft tissue sarcomas increases with age, although specialists recognize more than 100 sarcoma subtypes.

Treatment for sarcoma has become increasingly personalized in recent years. Rather than relying solely on surgery, physicians now develop individualized treatment plans based on the tumor’s location, subtype and genetic characteristics.

Depending on the diagnosis, treatment may include precision surgery, advanced radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapies, immunotherapy for select sarcoma subtypes and participation in clinical trials evaluating emerging therapies.

Radiation therapy also plays a growing role in sarcoma care. Technologies such as intensity-modulated radiation therapy and image-guided radiation therapy allow physicians to deliver targeted doses while limiting exposure to surrounding healthy tissue.

Radiation may be used before surgery to shrink tumors, after surgery to reduce the risk of recurrence, as a primary treatment when surgery is not possible or to relieve symptoms in advanced disease.

Specialists say these advances have improved local tumor control while helping preserve mobility and quality of life.

Doctors encourage anyone experiencing a lump that continues to grow, a mass larger than 5 centimeters, persistent swelling, bone pain — particularly at night — or pain without a clear injury to seek medical evaluation.

“Most lumps are not cancer,” Gupta said. “But the ones that continue growing or do not go away deserve an evaluation. When sarcoma is identified early, patients often have more treatment options and better outcomes.”

For more information about sarcoma diagnosis and treatment, visit the Arizona Center for Cancer Care’s sarcoma resource page. ♦︎