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Soft-tissue sarcoma

Evidence last reviewed: 17 May 2026
Topic last updated: 11 Nov 2025

Summary

Definition

History and exam

Key diagnostic factors

  • mass
  • upper/lower gastrointestinal bleed
  • neuropathic pain
  • increased abdominal girth
  • features of acute abdomen
Full details

Other diagnostic factors

  • unilateral extremity swelling
  • weight loss
  • fatigue
  • anorexia
  • abdominal bloating, discomfort, pain
Full details

Risk factors

  • genetically inherited syndromes
  • radiation
  • human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) infection
  • congenital disorders
  • male sex
  • lymphedema
  • history of exposure to chemical carcinogens
Full details

Pruebas diagnósticas

Primeras pruebas diagnósticas para solicitar

  • CT scan of primary tumor
  • MRI of primary tumor
  • CT scan chest
  • biopsy for histology
Todos los datos

Pruebas diagnósticas que deben considerarse

  • abdominal/pelvic computed tomography
  • MRI of total spine
  • fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT)
  • MRI of the central nervous system (CNS)
  • endoscopy
  • complete blood count (CBC)
  • coagulation studies
  • blood urea nitrogen (BUN)
  • creatinine
  • liver function tests (LFTs)
  • echocardiogram or multigated acquisition (MUGA) scan
  • ancillary techniques
Todos los datos

Algoritmo de tratamiento

Agudo

extremity: stage I

extremity: stage II resectable

extremity: stage III or select stage IV (any T, N1, M0), resectable

extremity: stage III or select stage IV (any T, N1, M0), unresectable

extremity: stage IV, oligometastases with limited tumor bulk or regional nodes

extremity: stage IV, disseminated metastases

extremity: recurrent

retroperitoneal/intra-abdominal: resectable (primary or recurrent)

retroperitoneal/intra-abdominal: unresectable (primary or recurrent)

retroperitoneal/intra-abdominal: metastatic disease, single organ and limited tumor bulk amenable to local therapy

retroperitoneal/intra-abdominal: disseminated metastases

gastrointestinal stromal tumors: resectable with minimal morbidity

gastrointestinal stromal tumors: resectable with significant morbidity

gastrointestinal stromal tumors: unresectable

gastrointestinal stromal tumors: progressive

gastrointestinal stromal tumors: recurrent or metastatic

Colaboradores

Autores

James S. Hu, MD, FACP

Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine

USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center

Los Angeles

CA

Divulgaciones

JSH has been reimbursed for speaking on desmoid tumors and the drug Ogsiveo (nirogacestat).

Sant P. Chawla, MD, FRACP

Director

Sarcoma Oncology Center

Santa Monica

CA

Divulgaciones

SPC owns stock in AADi, Cellestia Biotech, CounterPoint, and Immix BioPharma, and has received grants, consulting fees, payments of honoraria, and payment from speakers bureau for Amgen, Roche, GSK, Threshold Pharmaceuticals, CytRx Corporation, Ignyta, Immune Design, TRACON Pharma, Karyopharm Therapeutics, Sarcoma Alliance for Research through Collaboration (SARC), Janssen, Advenchen Laboratories, Bayer, Inhibrx, NKMax, and Thyme.

Agradecimientos

Dr James S. Hu and Dr Sant P. Chawla would like to gratefully acknowledge Dr Swati Sikaria, Dr Jonathan C. Trent, Dr Saira Hassan, and Dr David Thomas, previous contributors to this topic.

Divulgaciones

SS, JCT and SH each declare that they have no competing interests. DT has received research support from Pfizer, Amgen, and Novartis.

Revisores por pares

Richard F. Riedel, MD

Professor of Medicine

Duke University

Durham

NC

Divulgaciones

RFR owns shares in Limbguard, has received institutional clinical research support from AADi, Adaptimmune, AROG, Ayala, BioAtla, Blueprint, Cogent, Daiichi-Sankyo, Deciphera, GlaxoSmithKline, InhibRx, NanoCarrier, Oncternal, PTC Therapeutics, SARC, SpringWorks, Tracon, and Trillium. He has been a consultant/advisor for AADi, Adaptimmune, Bayer, Blueprint, Boehringer Ingelheim, Daiichi-Sankyo, Deciphera, GlaxoSmithKline, NanoCarrier, SpringWorks and has received funding for travel from Deciphera.

Agradecimiento de los revisores por pares

Los temas de BMJ Best Practice se actualizan de forma continua de acuerdo con los desarrollos en la evidencia y en las guías. Los revisores por pares listados aquí han revisado el contenido al menos una vez durante la historia del tema.

Divulgaciones

Las afiliaciones y divulgaciones de los revisores por pares se refieren al momento de la revisión.

Referencias

Nuestros equipos internos de evidencia y editoriales colaboran con colaboradores expertos internacionales y revisores pares para garantizar que brindemos acceso a la información más clínicamente relevante posible.

Artículos principales

World Health Organization. WHO classification of tumours: soft tissue and bone tumours. 5th ed (Vol 3). Lyon, France: IARC Press; 2020.

National Comprehensive Cancer Network. NCCN clinical practice guidelines in oncology: soft tissue sarcoma [internet publication].Texto completo

Gronchi A, Miah AB, Dei Tos AP, et al. Soft tissue and visceral sarcomas: ESMO-EURACAN-GENTURIS Clinical practice guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up*. Ann Oncol. 2021 Nov;32(11):1348-65.Texto completo  Resumen

Casali PG, Blay JY, Abecassis N, et al. Gastrointestinal stromal tumours: ESMO-EURACAN-GENTURIS Clinical Practice Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. Ann Oncol. 2022 Jan;33(1):20-33. Resumen

National Comprehensive Cancer Network. NCCN clinical practice guidelines in oncology: gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) [internet publication].Texto completo

Artículos de referencia

Una lista completa de las fuentes a las que se hace referencia en este tema está disponible para los usuarios con acceso a todo BMJ Best Practice.
  • Diferenciales

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  • Guías de práctica clínica

    • NCCN clinical practice guidelines in oncology: gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST)
    • NCCN clinical practice guidelines in oncology: soft tissue sarcoma
    Más Guías de práctica clínica
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