In July We Celebrate National Sarcoma Awareness Month

Leiomyosarcoma And Sarcoma -  The “Forgotten” Cancers

In July, we at H&B also raise awareness on leiomyosarcoma and sarcoma. These are considered to be rare types of cancer, which makes them also seriously under-researched. This is why these types of cancer are known as “forgotten” cancers.

US Congress has designated July 15, as National Leiomyosarcoma Awareness Day and July as National Sarcoma Awareness Month.

We at H&B recognize the challenges faced by sarcoma and leiomyosarcoma patients and we admire the commitment of organizations, volunteers, researchers, and caregivers that are working hard to better the quality of life of sarcoma and leiomyosarcoma patients and their families.

Sarcoma is a rare, malignant cancer that forms in certain tissues, such as bone, muscle, nerves, cartilage, tendons, blood vessels, and the fatty and fibrous tissues. Leiomyosarcoma is a type of sarcoma that arises from smooth muscle tissue, most ordinarily beginning in the uterus, stomach, intestine, or blood vessels. They can attack almost any part of the body, on the inside or the outside.

The Reasons For Sarcoma Awareness Month

Sarcomas usually affect the arms, legs, and trunk. They also develop in the stomach and intestines as well as behind the abdomen and the female reproductive system.

Why do we have a Sarcoma Awareness Month?  Simply, sarcoma is still admitted to be the “forgotten cancer.”  Attempts to promote research and drug development are made more challenging due to a lack of awareness and knowledge. How do we all, as a community, raise funds for vital research if people don’t know that this cancer exists?

During Sarcoma Awareness Month we at H&B aim to further highlight the unusual challenges that sarcoma patients face and the need for more sarcoma research and better sarcoma therapies.

Sarcoma Is More Likely To Affect Children

According to the American Cancer Society, about 11,280 people will be diagnosed with sarcoma this year, and slightly more men than women develop soft tissue sarcoma. Sarcomas are cancers that are much more likely to affect children and young adults than many other more common cancers. 

Certain types occur more often in certain parts of the body more often than others. For example, leiomyosarcomas are the most common type of sarcoma found in the abdomen (belly), while liposarcomas and undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcomas are most common in legs. But pathologists (doctors who specialize in diagnosing cancers by how they look under the microscope), may not always agree on the exact type of sarcoma. Sarcomas of uncertain type are very common.

Sarcoma Risk Factors And Symptoms

It’s not yet known exactly what is the cause of sarcoma, but scientists do know some things that raise the risk of developing one. We’ll mention most of them:

• If other members of one’s family have had sarcoma. 

• A bone disorder called Paget’s disease.

• A genetic disorder such as neurofibromatosis, Gardner syndrome, retinoblastoma, or Li-Fraumeni syndrome.

• Exposure to radiation, perhaps during treatment for an earlier cancer

 Sarcoma symptoms are:

Soft tissue sarcomas are hard to spot because they can grow anywhere in the body. Most often, the first sign is a painless lump. As the mass gets bigger, it might push upon nerves or muscles and create discomfort or respiratory problems, or both. There are no tests that can find these tumors before they produce noticeable symptoms.

Osteosarcoma can show obvious early symptoms, including:

• Pain off and on in the affected bone, which may be worse at night

• Swelling, which often starts weeks after the pain

• A limp, if the sarcoma is in the leg

 Children and young adults get osteosarcoma more often than adults. And because healthy, active children and teens often have pain and swelling in their arms and legs, osteosarcoma might be mistaken for growing pains or a sports injury. If your child’s pain doesn’t get better, gets worse at night, and is in one arm or leg rather than both, talk to a doctor.

Adults who have this kind of pain should see a doctor right away.

As More Research Is Made, We Can Expect Progress In Sarcoma Treatment

Unfortunately, the specificity of the first group of sarcomas, where specific chromosomes are poorly translocated, can often allow the sarcoma to prevail after standard treatment. This is clearly problematic but, if defeated, could spark the development of a whole new field of cancer treatment. In other words, if scientists can discover how to separate and manage specific chromosomal patterns, they will able to address many of the hard to treat cancers of today.

With genetic engineering, it is theoretically possible to prevent cancer before it begins. However, even without moving this far into the future, the improper chromosomal translocation can provide a sort of name-tagging of the cancer cell. With the cancer cells identified, it can guide modalities directed at eradicating diseased tissue while saving healthy tissue.

Sarcoma is under-researched cancer whose research can help to elevate cancer treatment, as a whole. Not only would breakthroughs save the lives of countless children, but it could also advance medicine, as a whole. By drawing awareness to sarcoma and the potential development its research can spark, this potential can become a reality.