Soft tissue sarcomas are rare. About 2200 people a year in the UK will be diagnosed with a sarcoma.

Soft tissue sarcomas are cancers that develop from cells in the soft, supporting tissues of the body. They can occur in muscle, fat, blood vessels or in any of the other tissues that support, surround and protect the organs of the body. Soft tissue sarcomas can also develop in specific organs, such as the womb (uterus), stomach, skin and small bowel.

Some types of sarcoma occur in children, teenagers and young adults, but generally sarcomas are more likely to develop in people over the age of 30.

Almost half of all soft tissue sarcomas occur in the limbs – especially the legs. Other common sites are the chest, abdomen and pelvis. Less commonly they may occur in the head and neck.

Bone sarcomas

Some sarcomas, such as osteosarcomas, start in the bone. These grow and develop differently and are treated differently from soft tissue sarcomas. Occasionally it is hard to tell whether a sarcoma has started in soft tissue or bone. There are some types of sarcoma, such as Ewing’s tumours, that can begin in either bone or soft tissue.

We have a separate section on cancer that starts in the bone; primary bone cancer.