Although rare, there are approximately 9,800 new cases of sarcoma each year in the United States. The term sarcoma comes from a Greek word meaning fleshy growth.
Sarcoma arises in the connective tissue of the body.
Normal connective tissue include, fat, blood vessels, nerves, bones, muscles, deep skin tissues, and cartilage. Sarcomas are divided into two main groups, bone tumors and soft tissue sarcomas. They are further sub-classified based on the type of cell found in the tumor. They all share certain microscopic characteristics and have similar symptoms. Sarcomas can develop in children and adults.