The whole month of July is marked as Sarcoma Awareness Month. This year 2023, the theme for sarcoma cancer awareness month is “Let's talk about the Forgotten Cancer"

Definition of Sarcoma:-

Sarcoma is a type of cancer that can occur in various locations in body. Sarcoma is the general term for a broad group of cancerous tumors that begin in the connective tissues (soft tissue sarcoma). Mostly sarcomas are malignant.

It is rare in adults about 1% of Cancers detected and makes nearly 15% of pediatric neoplasms. It can occur at any site: –

1.    Extremities 43%

2.     Visceral 19%

3.     Retroperitoneal 15%

4.     Thoracic 10%

5.     Other 13%

ETIOLOGICAL FACTORS

Ø  Radiation exposure (osteosarcoma, angiosarcoma)

Ø  Chronic lymphedema

Ø  Trauma

Ø  Chemical exposure e.g. Arsenic, polyvinyl chloride (hepatic angiosarcoma)

Ø  Infections e.g. Herpes Human Virus that causes Kaposi’s sarcoma in immunocompromized patients

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF SARCOMA INCLUDE:

·         A lump that can be felt through the skin that may or may not be painful

·         Bone pain

·         A broken bone that happens unexpectedly, such as with a minor injury or no injury at all

·         Abdominal pain

·         Weight loss

TYPES OF SARCOMA:-

Many types are named after the type of cell, tissue, or structure involved, as in angiosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, fibrosarcoma, liposarcoma and osteosarcoma.

CLASSIFICATION

Ø  Localized - tumor is restricted to primary site of the body.

Ø  Locally advanced - the tumor involves or attaches to nearby tissues or organs.

Ø  Metastatic - the sarcoma has spread to parts of the body far away from where the sarcoma started

STAGING

Ø  Stage I: The tumor is small and low grade (GX or G1).

Ø  Stage II: The tumor is small and high grade (G2 or G3).

Ø  Stage III: The tumor is larger and high grade (G2 or G3).

Ø  Stage IV: The cancer has spread to other parts of the body i.e. distant organs.

METHODS OF DIAGNOSIS:-

ü  Clinical examination

ü  Laboratory studies: - Deranged biochemical reports.

ü  Biopsy :- Tissue examination

ü   X-ray:- to look at lumps under the skin or other organs in the body.

ü  MRI studies and radioisotope bone scans: - to determine soft tissue sarcoma size & adjacent tissue involvement

ü  Computed tomography (CT) imaging: - to measure the tumor’s size

TREATMENT

Ø  Surgery

Ø  Radiotherapy

Ø  Chemotherapy:-Cytotoxic agent cyclophosphamide, Doxorubicin, Epirubicin, Ifosfamide, Gemcitabine, Docetaxel etc are used.

Ø  Targeted therapy - It targets the cancer’s specific genes, proteins, or the tissue environment that contributes to cancer growth and survival, usually works by blocking the action of proteins in cells. This type of treatment blocks the growth and spread of cancer cells and limits damage to healthy cells.

Ø  Immunotherapy also known as biologic therapy is designed to boost the body's natural defense system to fight the cancer. It uses materials made either by the body or in a laboratory to improve, target, or restore immune system function

SARCOMA ACCORDING TO AYURVEDA:-

The derivation of the word arbuda generally means the disease which spreads very abruptly. Acharya Sushurta has described Arbuda as "The Doshas having vitiated in any part of the body and afflicting the Mamsa, and produce a swelling, which is circular, fixed, slightly painful, big in size, broad-based, slowly growing and does not suppurate." As a basic rule of disease pathogenesis in Ayurveda, vitiation of Doshas in body is the main cause of any disease, which is applicable for Cancerous tumors as well.

Ayurveda aims finding the root cause of disease & treating the same to prevent recurrences, the steps followed in Ayurveda for disease treatment are:-

1.     Roganashini Chikitsa

2.     Prakrut Awastha Sthapan Chikitsa i.e. Restoration of Normal Function of Body

3.     Rasayana Chikitsa i.e. Rejuvenation Therapy

Incorporating an Ayurvedic concept of diet and lifestyle (Ahaar & Vihaar) in conventional treatment is very beneficial. Ayurvedic herbs and medicine such as Ashwagandha, Pippali, Curcuma Longa, Vat, Draksha have antioxidant properties which aid in cancer treatment and prevent the growth of malignant cells.