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By Mayo Clinic staffSoft tissue sarcomas are cancerous (malignant) tumors that originate in the soft tissues of your body. Soft tissues connect, support and surround other body structures. The soft tissues include muscle, fat, blood vessels, nerves, tendons and the lining of your joints (synovial tissues). A large variety of soft tissue sarcomas can occur in these areas.
Soft tissue sarcomas aren't common. Only about 10,000 soft tissue sarcomas are diagnosed annually in the United States.
Although there are various types of soft tissue sarcoma, they generally share similar characteristics, produce similar symptoms and are treated in similar ways.
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- Adult soft tissue sarcoma treatment (PDQ). National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/adult-soft-tissue-sarcoma/healthprofessional/allpages/print. Accessed July 27, 2009.
- Moynihan TJ (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic. Rochester, Minn. Aug. 2, 2009.