Sarcoma refers to any cancer which originates in the bone, cartilage, fibrous connective tissue, fat, nerve, joint, blood vessels or muscle. Sarcomas are divided into two categories: those that originate in the bone and those that occur in the soft tissues. About half of all sarcomas develop in the arms or legs (extremities). The other half occur in the head and neck, internal organs or tissue at the back of the abdominal cavity, known as the retroperitoneum.
Sarcomas account for only 1 percent of all cancers. Soft tissue sarcomas occur more often than bone cancer (osteosarcoma), outnumbering them by a ratio of three to one. Only 2,500 cases of primary bone cancer are diagnosed each year in the United States.
The vast majority of sarcomas occur in adults, although they comprise a larger percentage of all cancers in children.
Osteosarcoma is most common in young people between the ages of 10 and 25 and cancer of cartilage (chondrosarcoma) is most common among people between 40 and 60. Ewing's sarcoma (described in the Ewing's sarcoma section) is the third most commonly diagnosed form of bone cancer, occurring primarily in children and teenagers.
For information on each category of soft tissue and bone cancer, please see the summaries on bone cancer, soft tissue sarcomas, rhabdomyosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma.
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