Soft tissue sarcomas are uncommon tumors, and account for only 1.5% (8,600) of cancer cases in the United States each year. Arising from fat, muscle or connective tissue anywhere in the body, the cause of these growths is unknown in the majority of patients, and there is no age, gender or race predisposition.
Sarcomas most often occur in the extremities, with 15% arising in the retroperitoneum, a space within the abdominal cavity.
The most common origin of sarcomas in the Stony Brook population is fat, which is called liposarcoma. There are about three dozen different types of sarcoma, with different treatment plans and outcomes. Our multidisciplinary sarcoma team tailors each patient’s treatment plan to his/her diagnosis and capacity for treatment.
