Imagine discovering an unexplained lump in one of your joints that doesn’t cause pain and isn’t connected to any injury or disease. Such a case can be overwhelming and is usually characterized as a sign of soft tissue or bone cancer known as sarcoma. Also identified as “forgotten cancer,” this condition hardly has any visible symptoms, which could be affecting you or your child without knowing. Fortunately, sarcoma peoria diagnosis and treatments can help detect and treat this condition and salvage your wellness.
However, since most people don’t comprehend what sarcoma entails, this guide provides relevant information about this condition.
Understanding sarcoma
Rare and varied cancers usually occur in the soft connective tissues in your muscles, tendons, fat, nerves, blood vessels, joint linings, and bones. Although this type of cancer is more prevalent in children, it can also affect people of all ages. Sarcoma cancer can arise in any body part but typically in the arms, legs, abdomen, hands, head, neck, or chest. While several types of sarcoma cancers exist, osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma are the most common types affecting the bone.
Risk factors for sarcoma
Unlike other cancers, sarcoma has minimal risk factors. However, the most typical is a genetic syndrome that causes cancer to originate from parents to children. Furthermore, if you have been previously exposed to chemicals, toxins, and radiation, you may have a heightened risk of getting sarcoma. Before your treatment, your provider analyzes your risk factors to tailor your treatment plan.
What symptoms should you look for
Even if sarcoma is rare and difficult to identify, severe signs indicate you may be a victim. For sarcoma on your limbs, you should constantly look whether there are growing masses. You should seek medical intervention if your tissue mass increases and triggers other sarcoma symptoms. Also, as the tumor grows, you may experience increased pain, swelling, numbness, tingling, or weakness on the affected limb. Unfortunately, not all sarcoma cancers present apparent symptoms, so you should frequently visit an oncologist for screening.
How is sarcoma diagnosed or treated?
Since sarcomas occur very differently, each diagnosis test is tailored to each patient’s needs. Generally, your provider uses an imaging scan to screen for the potentiality of sarcoma cancers. If identified, your oncologist creates a treatment plan to address your situation. Mainly, surgery is the most preferred treatment to remove cancer cells. In severe cases, your surgeon can recommend limb amputation to stabilize your health in the long run. Moreover, depending on the type of sarcoma cancer you’re suffering from and its severity, your surgeon can use chemotherapy, targeted therapy, ablation therapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy to provide long-lasting relief.
Since sarcoma is rare and challenging to detect, you should choose a multidisciplinary team to address your situation. Typically, not every doctor can treat sarcoma, and that’s why you should prefer an oncologist since they are acutely experienced in addressing sarcoma cancers. These specialists ensure you receive customized, top-notch care, including where surgery is needed. Furthermore, because you can’t identify sarcoma symptoms independently, you should seek regular screenings for yourself and your loved ones.