Sarcomas

Soft Tissue Sarcoma

Signs and Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment

Diagnosis

The only reliable way to determine if a soft tissue tumor is benign or cancerous is through a surgical biopsy. During this procedure, your doctor makes an incision or uses a special needle to remove a sample of tumor tissue. A pathologist examines the tissue under a microscope. If cancer is present, the pathologist can usually determine the type of cancer and its grade. The grade of the tumor is determined by how abnormal the cells appear when examined under a microscope. The grade predicts the probable growth rate of the tumor and its tendency to spread. Low-grade sarcomas, although cancerous, are unlikely to metastasize or spread. High-grade sarcomas are more likely to spread to other parts of the body.

Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Children's Hospital.
Last updated May 8, 2007