Soft Tissue Sarcoma

A soft tissue sarcoma is a malignant (cancerous) tumor that develops in soft tissue. Soft tissue sarcomas can invade surrounding tissue and can metastasize (spread) to other organs of the body, forming secondary tumors. The cells of secondary tumors are similar to those of the primary (original) cancer. Secondary tumors are referred to as "metastatic soft tissue sarcoma" because they are part of the same cancer and are not a new disease. Some tumors of the soft tissue are benign (noncancerous). These tumors do not spread and are rarely life-threatening. However, benign tumors can crowd nearby organs and cause symptoms or interfere with normal body functions. Almost anywhere in or on the body you can have soft tissue sarcomas.