Sarcoma is a rare cancer in adults (1% of all adult cancers), but rather prevalent in children (about 20% of all childhood cancers).  It is made up of many "subtypes" because it can arise from a variety of tissue structures (nerves, muscles, joints, bone, blood vessels - these are collectively referred to as the body's "connective tissues").  Because these tissues are found everywhere on the body, sarcomas can arise anywhere.  Thus within each type of the "popular" cancers, there is the occassional surprise for the pathologists (e.g., breast sarcoma, stomach sarcoma, lung sarcoma, ovarian sarcoma, etc.).  But the most frequent location are the limbs, since this is where the majority of the body's connective tissue resides.  It is often hidden deep in the body, so is often diagnosed when it has gotten too large to enable a hope of cure. Although a lot of the lumps and bumps we get are benign, people should be aware that they should have these looked at by a doctor at an early stage in case it is sarcoma.  Also, sarcoma can be resistant to traditional approaches - thus the extreme need for new therapeutic approaches.  At any one time, about 50,000 patients and their families are struggling with sarcoma. About 10,000 new cases are diagnosed each year and about 5,000 die each year from sarcoma.

     Excerpted from the SFA's web site.  Click here for more information.