What Is Soft Tissue Sarcoma?Soft tissue sarcoma is a cancer that starts in soft tissues of the body, including muscle, tendons, fat, lymph vessels, blood vessels, nerves, and tissue around joints. The tumors can be found anywhere in the body but often form in the arms, legs, chest, or abdomen.
Signs of soft tissue sarcoma include a lump or swelling in soft tissue. Sometimes there are no signs or symptoms until the tumor is big and presses on nearby nerves or other parts of the body.
There are many types of soft tissue sarcoma, based on the type of soft tissue cell in which the cancer formed. Different types may be treated differently.
Gastrointestinal stromal tumors are soft tissue sarcomas that form in soft tissues of the gastrointestinal tract, usually in the stomach or small intestine. They are most common in adults, and may be benign (not cancer) or malignant (cancer). Gastrointestinal stromal tumors often do not cause early symptoms.
Ewing sarcoma, Kaposi sarcoma, and uterine sarcoma are other types of soft tissue sarcoma.
Radiation therapy and certain diseases and inherited conditions can increase the risk of soft tissue sarcoma.
Source: National Cancer Institute
Image Source: Cancer Research UK / Wikimedia Commons
NCCN Guidelines for Patients® Soft Tissue Sarcoma by 
This group provides a safe place for those who are newly diagnosed with cancer to share and learn coping skills for the cancer journey. The group will discuss common issues that affect most people when they are initially diagnosed, such as shock, sharing the diagnosis or not, regaining control, dealing with a new self-image, living with uncertainty, and more.
Schedule: 3rd Thursday of each month, 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
This program is offered free-of-charge and is facilitated by professional staff. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, support groups are currently meeting online via Zoom. For more information including how to register, see the Ridley-Tree Cancer Center calendar or email Rosario Campuzano-Cortez at rcampuza@ridleytreecc.org.
The Ridley-Tree Cancer Center has one of the largest Genetic Counseling departments in California. We offer hereditary cancer risk counseling to help patients and families with a history of cancer better understand and manage the risk of developing cancer through genetic risk assessment and genetic testing.Our Genetic Counselors translate complex genetic information into understandable recommendations for patients, physicians, and families.
For more information, visit the Ridley-Tree Cancer Center website or call (805) 879-5653.
The Oncology Dietitian Nutritionists at the Ridley-Tree Cancer Center provide evidence-based recommendations that are proven by scientific research and clinical experience. Education and support are provided to help prevent treatment delays and decrease side effects from treatment. Once treatment for cancer is complete, our nutrition experts can recommend personalized food choices that will support treatment outcomes, enhance the quality of life, and decrease the risk of disease recurrence. Monthly seminars provide an opportunity to discuss the most recent research related to cancer, foods and your lifestyle. Services are offered free-of-charge to individuals currently in treatment or within one year of their last treatment.
For more information, visit the Ridley-Tree Cancer Center website or call (805) 879-5652.
The Ridley-Tree Cancer Center provides Patient Navigation services in order to assist patients on the journey to live with, through, and beyond cancer. Navigators serve as a liaison between individual patients and the various healthcare providers required for proper diagnosis, treatment, and disease management.
Navigators offer coordination of care throughout a cancer patient's experience, by:
Navigation is available per physician referral and is offered free-of-charge. For more information, contact the Patient Navigation department at (805) 879-0660 or navigator@ridleytreecc.org.
At the Ridley-Tree Cancer Center’s Resource Library, we aim to empower anyone touched by cancer with the knowledge they need to become well-informed partners in their healthcare. The Resource Library offers a comfortable place where patients and families can find current, comprehensive information about all aspects of cancer. Services include research assistance, a lending library and online information guides. The Resource Library is open to all and services are offered at no charge.
For more information, visit the Ridley-Tree Cancer Center website or contact the Resource Library at (805) 879-5648 or library@ridleytreecc.org.
Visit Us:
540 W Pueblo St
Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm
Cancer can involve significant psychological, social, and economic challenges for patients and their families. How and if these challenges are addressed is an important aspect of a patient’s care plan. The Ridley-Tree Cancer Center employs clinical social workers who provide emotional and practical support for patients, their families, and their friends. Oncology Social Workers can provide advocacy and referrals as well as individual and family counseling services.
Services are available at no cost and are available to anyone in our community, regardless of where they are receiving medical care.
For more information, visit the Ridley-Tree Cancer Center website or call (805) 879-5690.
A wide range of wellness activities, classes and programs are available to our patients and their caregivers. Programs include yoga, exercise programs, painting, flower arranging, meditation and more. Upcoming dates can be found on the Ridley-Tree Cancer Center online calendar.
Programs offered free-of-charge. For more information including who qualifies for Ridley-Tree Cancer Center Wellness Programs & Classes and class descriptions, visit the Ridley-Tree Cancer Center website or call (805) 879-5678.
Cancer.Net - Sarcoma: An Introduction, with Dr. Robert Maki - 5:45 minutes
Dr. Robert Maki talks about what sarcoma is and the scientific advances in the treatment of different types of sarcoma. In addition, he talks about finding a sarcoma expert.
National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) - Know What Your Doctors Know: Soft Tissue Sarcoma - Treating Soft Tissue Sarcoma - 8:20 minutes
This presentation is a part of a series of webinars hosted by the NCCN in June 2019. Experts discussed updates and answered questions about the treatment of soft tissue sarcoma. Click here to view the entire playlist of videos from this series.
