Sarcoma
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Sarcoma is a rare form of cancer and accounts for about 1 percent of all diagnosed cancer cases in Europe. In 2024, 566 new cases of sarcoma were registered in Norway.
About sarcoma
Sarcoma is cancer of connective and supporting tissues of the body and can occur in any location and organ. Soft tissue sarcomas constitute about 90 percent of all sarcomas, of which GISTS (tumors originating from the connective tissue of the gastrointestinal tract) is the largest histological subgroup. The rest are bone sarcomas.
A total of 566 people were diagnosed with sarcoma in Norway in 2024, including abdominal and retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcomas and gynecological soft tissue sarcomas.
The diagnosis of sarcoma is based on tissue or cell samples. Histological diagnosis of sarcoma is difficult and requires specialist expertise. All tissue samples suspected of sarcoma must be primary or re-examined at one of the university hospitals. Immunohistochemical and molecular examinations will also often be necessary. It is necessary to distinguish different tumour types from each other and to be able to adapt the treatment for the patients.
Key figures - sarcoma 2024
New cases
566 people
5-year relative survival (2015-2024)
Bone sarcomas: 67 %
Soft tissue sarcomas in extremities and trunk: 74 %
Abdominal sarcomas: 59.5 %
Risk factors
There are some factors that can increase the risk of soft tissue cancer.
- Chronic lymphedema (kreftforeningen.no) may be congenital or may occur after radiation therapy or removal of lymph nodes. Also, some benign connective tissue tumors can become malignant.
- High-dose radiation therapy. Soft tissue sarcoma can occur in places where radiation therapy has previously been given to another form of cancer, but this is very rare. As a rule, this type of sarcoma takes at least five to ten years to develop after radiation therapy. However, the risk is very small due to improvements in radiation therapy.
- Viruses are the cause of Kaposi's sarcoma – a rare form of soft tissue sarcoma in blood vessels, skin or mucous membranes. The cause is a special type of herpes virus called HHV-8. This can occur in older people and by weakened immune systems, for example in HIV-infected or organ transplant recipients.
- Immunosuppressive medicine after transplants, which is supposed to prevent the new organ from being rejected, causes the immune system to be unable to repair cell damage, increasing the risk of soft tissue sarcomas.
- Some chemicals are suspected of developing some forms of soft tissue sarcomas: vinyl chloride (PVC), certain types of herbicides (phenoxy acids) and dioxin.
In general, soft tissue sarcomas are very unlikely to be hereditary. Heredity has been demonstrated in connection with Li-Fraumeni syndrome, (sml.snl.no) where a congenital defect in a gene called P53 is central.
Source: helsenorge.no
Steps you can take to reduce your risk of getting sarcoma
General advice is:
- Be physically active
- Have a healthy diet
- Be smoke-free
Pay special attention if a bump
- is growing fast
- are larger than five cm in diameter
- is sitting deep (in the muscles or deeper)
- comes again after being removed
Source: helsenorge.no
Questions about cancer
The Cancer Registry of Norway is a research institution. Our professionals therefore do not answer questions about diagnosis, assessment, treatment and follow-up from patients or their relatives.
Inquiries about this information should be directed to your general practitioner, treating institution, or the Norwegian Cancer Society's advisory service at phone: +47 21 49 49 21.