Sarcomas are cancers that can arise anywhere within the body where there is bone, muscle, or connective tissue. They account for about 10 to 15 percent of all newly diagnosed cancers in children and young adults under the age of 20 in the United States.
Our doctors treat sarcomas based on their stage, or how far the tumor has spread throughout the body. Tumors are staged using a variety of different imaging techniques (such as CT or MRI scans) and other procedures (such as bone marrow aspirations and lumbar puncture). Which staging system is used depends on the tumor type. Additionally, staging will determine the type of treatment or treatments that are used for a given sarcoma.
For osteosarcoma and Ewing’s sarcoma, the staging system is based on the grade of the tumor, the site of the primary tumor, and whether metastases are present. For rhabdomyosarcoma, the staging system is based on the primary site of the tumor, the size of the tumor, sites of metastases, and the surgery performed. Other staging systems may be used for the rarer sarcomas that we treat here at Memorial Sloan-Kettering.
