Sarcomas are a group of cancers that arise in connective tissues of the body, such as fat, blood vessels, bone, deep skin tissues and cartilage. The two main types of sarcoma are soft tissues sarcomas and bone sarcomas, but there are more than 70 unique sub-types within these two categories.
Since sarcomas are relatively uncommon – according to charity Sarcoma UK, 15 people are diagnosed with them every day in the UK – there is limited medical understanding of this type of cancer, and therefore, fewer treatment options for sarcoma patients.
As a result, July has been designated as global Sarcoma Awareness Month in order to support earlier diagnosis and better treatment of this often overlooked cancer.
Surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are the usual treatment routes for sarcoma. Surgery is the primary treatment and the main aim is to remove as much of the cancer as possible; it is much more effective in the early stages before the tumours have spread.
Sometimes surgery is combined with radiotherapy or chemotherapy, but these treatment options are also employed separately.
According to Sarcoma UK, the efficacy of chemotherapy in soft tissue sarcomas is low, although it has been used effectively in bone sarcomas.
A major issue with these existing treatments is that although the sarcoma may appear to be gone, it has been shown that a small number of cancer stem cells can remain and circulate around the body, potentially re-seeding tumours.
However, researchers from the University of Toledo in the US state of Ohio, have been working on cancer stem cells and have discovered a new class of potential cancer drugs that can eradicate these stem cells, therefore preventing relapse.
