- A sarcoma is a malignant tumor, a type of cancer that arises from transformed cells of mesenchymal (connective tissue) origin. Connective tissue is a broad term that includes bone, cartilage, fat, vascular, or hematopoietic tissues, and sarcomas can arise in any of these types of tissues. As a result, there are many subtypes of sarcoma, which are classified based on the specific tissue and type of cell from which the tumor originates. Sarcomas are primary connective tissue tumors, meaning that they arise in connective tissues. This is in contrast to secondary (or “metastatic”) connective tissue tumors, which occur when a cancer from elsewhere in the body (such as the lungs, breast tissue or prostate) spreads to the connective tissue. The word sarcoma is derived from the Greek σάρκωμα sarkōma “fleshy excrescence or substance”, itself from σάρξ sarx meaning “flesh”.
- A tumor, often highly malignant, composed of cells derived from connective tissue such as bone, cartilage, muscle, blood vessel, or lymphoid tissue; sarcomas usually develop rapidly and metastasize through the lymph channels. Different types are named for the specific tissue they affect: fibrosarcoma in fibrous connective tissue; lymphosarcoma in lymphoid tissues; osteosarcoma in bone; chondrosarcoma in cartilage; rhabdosarcoma in muscle; and liposarcoma in fat cells.
Synonyms
Sarcomatous