Sarcoma

A sarcoma is a cancer of the bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue.

The term comes from a Greek word meaning "fleshy growth." Bone tumors (osteosarcomas) are also called sarcomas, but are in a separate category because they have different clinical and microscopic characteristics and are treated differently. Osteogenic sarcoma or osteosarcoma is one of the most common childhood bone cancers.

Organizations such as the Sarcoma Foundation of America are working to fund research towards a cure for sarcoma, while other patient-oriented organizations such as the Sarcoma Alliance are working to educate patients about the disease.

The most famous victim of this disease is Terry Fox who was required to have a leg amputated as treatment. He subsesquently began heroic fundraising efforts towards medical research which enabled advances that dramatically improved the survivability of the ailment.

Types of sarcoma

• Soft tissue sarcoma, including
  • Fibrosarcoma
  • Malignant fibrous hystiocytoma
  • Dermatofibrosarcoma
  • Liposarcoma
  • Rhabdomyosarcoma
  • Leiomyosarcoma
  • Hemangiosarcoma
  • Kaposi's sarcoma
  • Lymphangiosarcoma
  • Synovial sarcoma
  • Neurofibrosarcoma
  • Extraskeletal chondrosarcoma
  • Extraskeletal osteosarcoma
• Osteosarcoma
• Chondrosarcoma

External links

• Sarcoma Foundation of America
• Sarcoma Alliance