Sarcoma (bone sarcoma and soft tissue sarcoma)

There were 72 cases of sarcoma diagnosed during in Northern Ireland in 2021. There are two types of sarcoma; soft tissue sarcoma (STS) and bone sarcoma (sometimes known as primary bone cancer). Both soft tissue and bone cancer are rare in Northern Ireland. The earlier a cancer is picked up, the easier it is to treat it and the more likely the treatment is to be successful.

Soft Tissue Sarcoma (STS)

STS is more common in people over 30, but certain types can develop in children and teenagers. However, the symptoms and treatment may vary from an adult with the same sarcoma. See The Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group for more information on children’s cancers.

STS is developed in the cells of tissues that support, connect, surround and protect the organs of the body. This includes fat, muscles, blood vessels, deep skin tissues, nerves, tendons, ligaments and the tissues around a joint. The most common place for STS is in the arms and legs.

Signs and symptoms of soft tissue sarcoma

The exact symptoms of sarcomas will vary, depending on the size of the cancer and where it is in the body. Sarcoma can start from anywhere in the body and often do not cause symptoms until they start pressing on an organ.

The main symptom of a STS in the arm or leg is a lump that is:

  • Getting bigger
  • Bigger than 5cm (about the size of a golf ball)
  • Painful or tender

Most soft tissue lumps are not cancer but if you notice any of these symptoms get them checked by a GP. The symptoms of STS depend on where the sarcoma starts in the body. For example, sarcoma that begins in the womb may cause vaginal bleeding. For more information on the symptoms of different sarcoma types visit the Macmillan website.

Bone Sarcoma

Sarcomas that start in the bone can also be known as primary bone cancer. It is slightly more common in men than women. Bone sarcoma grows differently to a STS and are treated differently. It can be difficult to tell if a STS or bone cancer has started. Some sarcoma types such as the Ewing sarcoma can start as soft tissue or bone sarcoma.

Signs and symptoms of bone sarcoma: 

Symptoms of bone sarcoma include:

  • Increasing, unexplained or persistent bone pain or tenderness, particularly pain at rest (especially if not in the joint)
  • Swelling over the affected area
  • Reduced movement
    • If the cancer is near a joint this can make it more difficult to move the joint and it can affect the movement of the whole limb
    • If the affected bone is in the leg, it may cause a limp
    • If the tumour is in the spine, it may press on nerves, causing weakness or numbness and tingling in the limbs
    • Broken bone (bone cancer is sometimes discovered when a bone that has been weakened by cancer breaks spontaneously or after a minor fall or accident).

 Other less common symptoms may include:

  • Tiredness
  • Fever or sweats
  • Unexplained weight loss

The symptoms above may be caused by other conditions that are ore common than sarcoma. For this reason, it can sometimes take a long time for bone sarcoma to be diagnosed. If you experience any of these symptoms regularly, get them checked by a GP.

Resources

There are a number of websites that provide information relating to sarcomas, these include

This is not an exhaustive list and other sources of support in Northern Ireland can also be accessed via Northern Ireland Cancer Network and Useful links | Be Cancer Aware.

Signs and symptoms