Soft Tissue Masses: Diagnosis and Surgery for Benign and Cancerous Tumors (Sarcoma)
Last updated Thursday, August 13, 2009
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Incidence and risk factorsIncidence Some 10,000
new soft tissue and bone sarcomas (cancerous growths) are diagnosed annually in
the United States. Benign soft tissue tumors are discovered at a significantly
higher rate than sarcomas.
Soft
tissue tumors affect every segment of the population. However, sarcomas occur
more often in children and young adults, and men have a slightly higher rate of
sarcoma than women.
Some
sarcomas are more prevalent among specific populations. For example, synovial
sarcoma is more often found in young adults.
In the
vast majority of cases, a soft tissue tumor is a spontaneous occurrence without
a well-defined cause. Acquisition Evidence suggests
that some genetic disorders and mutations predispose people to benign and cancerous
soft tissue tumors. Exposure to radiation and environmental carcinogens has
been associated with soft tissue tumors. Kaposi’s sarcoma is an example
of an infection-induced soft tissue tumor –resulting from a type of herpes in patients
who also have HIV.
Most
people with a soft tissue tumor do not have a well-defined cause for their
tumor. Lifestyle factors, injury, and infection have not been consistently
proven to cause soft tissue tumors in the majority of cases. Genetics Rare
genetic abnormalities and disorders can predispose people to benign and
malignant soft tissue tumors. For example, a gene linked to neurofibromatosis –
nerve-sheath tumors – has shown likelihood to become cancerous. Communicability Soft
tissue tumors are not contagious.Lifestyle risk factors Lifestyle
and diet are not thought to play a role in the emergence of soft tissue tumors
– benign or cancerous.Injury & trauma risk factors Historically
there have been many case associations between trauma and soft tissue masses, but
data does not support trauma as the cause of such masses. More likely is that
the trauma drew medical attention to the existing tissue mass.
One
exception would be a ganglion cyst, a common, benign fluid-filled soft tissue
mass that can be caused by injury. A ganglion cyst might develop after a knee
injury, for instance. Such cysts usually move about more freely and are much
softer than a sarcoma (cancerous growth).Prevention Soft
tissue tumors cannot be prevented, per se, but any discovered mass of unknown
etiology that is growing should be evaluated by a specialist. Any sprain or
hematoma that lasts longer than six weeks merits additional medical scrutiny.
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