Understanding sarcoma: types, challenges and research
Sarcomas are a group of rare cancers that develop in the body’s connective tissues including bone, cartilage and soft tissues such as muscles, tendons and blood vessels. While these aggressive tumours can affect people of any age, they are particularly significant in children and adolescents.
Quick facts
- Sarcomas represent about 1% of all adult cancers and about 15% of childhood cancers
- Around 90 Australian children and adolescents receive a sarcoma diagnosis each year
- More than 70 different subtypes exist, requiring specialised treatment approaches
- Five-year survival rates are about 65% for soft tissue sarcomas and 70% for bone sarcomas
- Sarcomas tend to grow aggressively and can be challenging to treat
Banner photo: Jason Watts with his son Cade (15), who lost his brave battle with Ewing Sarcoma. Read more
Sarcoma: types, diagnosis, treatments
Types of sarcoma and their characteristics
Bone sarcomas
- Osteosarcoma
- Most common type of bone cancer in children and teenagers
- Typically develops in areas of rapid bone growth such as arms and legs
- Peak occurrence during teenage growth spurts
- Common locations: knee, upper arm, and hip bones
- Ewing’s sarcoma
- An aggressive bone cancer that can also develop in soft tissues
- Often affects the pelvis, chest wall and long bones
- Most common in teenagers aged 12-18
- May present with persistent pain and swelling
Soft tissue sarcomas
- Rhabdomyosarcoma
- Most common soft tissue sarcoma in children under 10
- Originates in the muscle tissue
- Can occur anywhere in the body
- Often found in the head and neck region, bladder, or arms and legs
- Liposarcoma
- Develops from fat cells
- More common in adults but can affect young people
- Usually occurs in limbs or abdomen
- May present as a painless, growing mass
Treatment approaches
Treatment typically involves a combination of
Surgery
- Primary treatment for most sarcomas
- Aims to remove the tumour and surrounding margin of healthy tissue
- May include limb-sparing techniques or reconstruction
Chemotherapy
- Often used before surgery (neoadjuvant) to shrink tumours
- Given after surgery (adjuvant) to kill remaining cancer cells
- Protocols vary by sarcoma type and stage
Radiation therapy
- May be used before or after surgery
- Helps control local tumour growth
- Precisely targeted to protect healthy tissue
- Sometimes used instead of surgery in sensitive locations
Diagnosis and treatment challenges
Sarcomas pose unique challenges for healthcare providers and patients
- Early detection difficulties
- Rarity makes diagnosis challenging and clinical expertise may not be readily available
- Symptoms may mimic other conditions
- Aggressive growth
- Sarcomas often grow quickly, this can complicate treatment planning and impact prognosis
- Complex treatment planning
- Each subtype requires a different approach, coordinated multidisciplinary care is needed
- Treatment resistance
- Some sarcomas don’t respond well to standard treatments
- Research for new therapies is critical
- Limited data
- Historically there has been a lack of comprehensive registries for clinicians and scientists
- Limited understanding of incidence and prevalence
When to seek medical care
Seek immediate medical attention if your child develops
- Persistent pain in bones or muscles, especially pain that wakes them at night, doesn’t improve with rest or gets progressively worse
- Unexplained swelling or lumps, particularly if they grow in size, are firm to touch, appear deep under the skin
- Other warning signs
- Night sweats or fever
- Unexplained weight loss
- Unusual fatigue
- Bone fractures without significant injury
Hudson Institute Sarcoma Research Program
Hudson Institute’s Sarcoma Research Program is leading innovative research to improve outcomes for young patients. Our work focuses on
- Identifying molecular markers to predict treatment response
- Developing personalised treatment approaches
- Understanding factors that influence cancer spread
- Minimising treatment side effects through better targeting
Childhood Cancer Model Atlas (CCMA)
The CCMA at Hudson Institute is revolutionising sarcoma treatment through its comprehensive collection of over 400 high-risk paediatric cancer cell lines, including rare sarcoma variants.
This open-source repository allows researchers and oncologists worldwide to test potential treatments using advanced AI techniques, significantly accelerating the discovery of new therapies and biomarkers for young sarcoma patients. By providing unprecedented access to well-annotated cancer models and facilitating global collaboration through its searchable data portal, the CCMA is dramatically reducing the time it takes to move promising treatments from laboratory discovery to clinical trials, offering new hope for children with aggressive sarcomas.
Keep up-to-date with our latest discoveries
