Knowra Sarcoma Sarcoma A sarcoma is a malignant tumor arising from connective or other mesenchymal tissues, including bone, muscle, fat, and blood vessels. Sarcomas comprise many distinct tumor types classified by tissue and molecular features.
Mesenchymal tissue : Embryonic connective tissue that gives rise to bone, cartilage, muscle, fat, and other supporting tissues. Sarcomas arise from tumors of mesenchymal lineages or tissues with mesenchymal features.
Cancer genetics : The study of inherited and acquired genetic changes that contribute to cancer. Sarcoma subtypes often have characteristic mutations or chromosomal rearrangements.
Biopsy : The removal of cells or tissue for examination to diagnose disease. A planned biopsy provides tissue for confirming sarcoma and identifying its subtype.
Osteosarcoma : A malignant bone tumor whose cancer cells produce immature bone tissue. It is a defining primary bone sarcoma, especially common in adolescents.
Soft-tissue sarcoma : A malignant tumor arising in soft tissues such as muscle, fat, nerves, or blood vessels. This broad group covers sarcomas outside bone and cartilage.
Chromosomal translocation : A rearrangement in which a segment of one chromosome becomes attached to another chromosome or a different region. Some sarcomas are driven by translocations that create abnormal fusion genes.
Immunohistochemistry : A laboratory method that uses antibodies to detect specific proteins in tissue sections. Protein staining helps distinguish sarcoma subtypes and exclude other tumor lineages.
Ewing sarcoma : An aggressive cancer of bone or soft tissue, usually driven by an EWSR1 gene fusion. Its defining fusion illustrates the molecular classification of sarcomas.
Bone cancer : A malignant tumor arising in bone, either as a primary bone tumor or a metastasis from another site. Primary malignant bone tumors include several sarcoma types.
Oncogene : A gene that can promote cancer when activated or expressed abnormally. Certain sarcoma-associated fusions act as oncogenes, disrupting normal cell growth.
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