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Bone and Soft Tissue Sarcoma
Cancer affecting the bone or soft tissue, such as the fat, blood vessels, nerves, tendons and joints, is known as sarcoma. Diagnosis with this rare form of cancer can be stressful and overwhelming, but Sibley Memorial Hospital brings the Johns Hopkins Medical Institute’s world-class treatment and care close to home.
Risk Factors
Sarcomas are very rare, and their causes remain mostly unknown. However, there are certain risk factors, including:
- Radiation therapy for past cancer treatments
- Family history of inherited genetic disorders like von Recklinghausen’s disease (neurofibromatosis), Gardner syndrome, Werner syndrome, tuberous sclerosis, nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome, Li-Fraumeni syndrome, or retinoblastoma
- Chemical exposure to vinyl chloride monomer (a substance used to make some types of plastics), dioxin, or arsenic
- Lymphedema, or prolonged swelling in the arms or legs
Symptoms
Symptoms look different depending on the type of sarcoma.
Soft Tissue Sarcoma symptoms may include:
- Painless lump or swelling
- Nerve, organ, or muscle pain
- Feelings of fullness
- Difficulty breathing
Bone Sarcoma symptoms may include:
- Pain and/or swelling in an arm or leg, the trunk, the pelvis, or the back
- Limited range of joint motion
- Unexplained Fever
- Unexplained broken bone
Treatments
Sarcoma treatment depends on a variety of factors, including the type of sarcoma; the tumor’s location, grade and size; your age; and whether it is a new or returning cancer. Sarcoma is treated with a combination of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. Reconstruction of the surgical area typically takes place at the same time the tumor is removed.
Treatments offered at Sibley Memorial Hospital include:
Screenings
If your doctor suspects that you may have a sarcoma, the first step is usually a biopsy. The sample will then be examined for cancer cells. Depending on the results, you may also undergo additional tests, such as X-ray, MRI, CT, or ultrasound.

Boudadi, Karim, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Oncology
Expertise, Disease and Conditions:
Anemias, Blood Disorders, Esophageal Cancer, Head and Neck Cancers, Head and Neck Tumors, Hematology, Medical Oncology, Oncology, Prostate Cancer, Sarcoma

Forsberg, Jonathan Agner, M.D., Ph.D.
Expertise, Disease and Conditions:
Bone Sarcoma, Chondrosarcoma, Ewing's Sarcoma, Metastatic Bone Disease, Musculoskeletal Tumors Involving the Extremities, Orthopaedic Surgery, Osseointegration Amputation Surgery, Osteosarcoma, Pediatric Oncologic Surgery, Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery, Pediatric Orthopaedics, Pediatric Sarcoma, Soft Tissue Sarcoma