Sarcoma Awareness Month runs for the whole of July. The prognosis for the UK’s sarcoma patients has changed little over the past 40 years. Late diagnosis is the key factor.
Enough is enough; it’s time for action, and this Sarcoma Awareness Month, Sarcoma UK are setting out what they intend to do to get people diagnosed earlier and have better treatment options for life with and beyond bone and soft tissue cancers.
What is sarcoma?
Sarcomas are rare cancers. There are 2 main types of sarcoma:
– Soft tissue sarcoma
– Bone sarcoma (also called primary bone cancer)
Each year, about 4,300 people in England are diagnosed with a soft tissue sarcoma. About 550 people are diagnosed every year with primary bone cancer in the UK.
What is the difference between soft tissue sarcoma and bone cancer?
Soft tissue sarcomas start in any supportive or connective tissues. These include:
– Muscle
– Fat
– Nerves
– Fibrous tissues
– Tendons and ligaments
– Blood vessels.
Bone sarcomas (primary bone cancer) start in the bone.