Diagnosis
Sarcoma diagnosis often begins with a physical exam. This cancer starts in the bones or soft tissues. The tests you have may depend on the part of your body that's affected. Other tests may include imaging tests and a procedure to remove a sample of cells for testing.
Physical exam
Your healthcare professional may ask about your symptoms and your health history. A physical exam can help your healthcare professional understand your symptoms and look for other clues that help with your diagnosis.
Imaging tests
Imaging tests make pictures of the inside of the body. The pictures can help your healthcare team understand the size of your sarcoma and where it is. Imaging tests may include:
The imaging tests you have depend on your condition. Some tests, such as X-rays, are better for seeing bones. Other tests, such as MRIs, are better for seeing connective tissues.
Biopsy
A biopsy is a procedure to remove a sample of tissue for testing in a lab. How a healthcare professional collects the biopsy sample depends on where the affected tissue is.
A biopsy for sarcoma may involve placing a needle through the skin to get the sample. Or it may involve surgery.
Biopsy requires careful planning by your medical team. Healthcare professionals need to perform the biopsy in a way that won't interfere with future surgery to remove the cancer. Whenever possible, the biopsy should be performed by the team that will treat the sarcoma.
The tissue sample should be reviewed by a pathologist with experience diagnosing sarcomas. There are many types of sarcoma, and determining the specific type can be complex. The pathologist examines the tissue and may use additional lab tests to help make an accurate diagnosis. Identifying the type of sarcoma is important because it can affect treatment decisions.
Grades
Grade describes what the cancer cells look like under the microscope and how aggressively the tumor is likely to behave. These factors are combined into a grade.
- Grade 1: Low grade. The cancer tends to grow and spread more slowly.
- Grade 2: Intermediate grade.
- Grade 3: High grade. The cancer is more likely to grow and spread.
The way sarcomas are graded depends on the specific type of sarcoma. A single grading system may not apply to every sarcoma subtype.
For many soft tissue sarcomas, a pathologist assigns a grade based on features seen under a microscope. Grading considers features such as how the cells look, how many cells are dividing, and how much tumor tissue is dying, called necrosis.
In general, a higher grade means the cancer is more likely to grow quickly or spread. Grade is one of several factors your care team considers when estimating your outlook and recommending treatment.
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Treatment
Sarcoma treatment depends on the type of sarcoma, where it started, its grade and stage, and whether it has spread. The goal of treatment also varies.
For a localized sarcoma, treatment may aim to remove or destroy all the cancer and cure it. When a sarcoma can't be completely removed or has spread to other parts of the body, treatment may focus on controlling the cancer, slowing its growth and helping you live longer.
Treatment also may be used to relieve pain or other symptoms caused by the cancer. Because different types of sarcoma can respond differently to treatment, the combination and order of surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and other medicines vary from person to person.
Surgery
The goal of surgery for sarcoma is to remove all the cancer cells. Sometimes surgeons need to remove a limb, such as an arm or a leg, to get all the cancer. This is called amputation. But surgeons try to save the limb when they can.
Sometimes surgeons can't remove all the cancer without hurting nearby nerves or organs. In those instances, the surgeons consider the balance between tumor removal, function and other potential treatments.
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy treats cancer with powerful energy beams. The energy can come from X-rays, protons or other sources.
For sarcoma, you might have radiation therapy before, during or after surgery to remove the cancer.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy treats cancer with strong medicines. Some types of sarcoma are more likely to respond to chemotherapy treatment than are others. Healthcare professionals might use chemotherapy before or after surgery. It also can help treat sarcoma that spreads to other parts of the body.
Targeted therapy
Targeted therapy for cancer is a treatment that uses medicines that attack specific chemicals in the cancer cells. By blocking these chemicals, targeted treatments can cause cancer cells to die.
Your healthcare professional may have your sarcoma cells tested to see if they are likely to respond to targeted therapy medicines. Targeted therapy may treat certain types of sarcoma. It might be used if the cancer comes back or spreads.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy for cancer is a treatment with medicine that helps the body's immune system kill cancer cells. The immune system fights off diseases by attacking germs and other cells that shouldn't be in the body. Cancer cells survive by hiding from the immune system. Immunotherapy helps the immune system cells find and kill the cancer cells.
For some sarcomas, tumor testing may help determine whether immunotherapy could be an option. This treatment might help control some sarcoma types that have spread to other parts of the body.
Ablation therapy
Ablation is a procedure that applies treatment directly to the cancer cells to harm them. Some types of ablation apply energy to the cancer cells that causes them to heat up. Procedures that do this include radiofrequency ablation and microwave ablation.
Using extreme cold to harm the cancer cells is called cryoablation.
Ablation might be used to treat sarcoma when surgery isn't an option. It also might be used when the cancer spreads to other parts of the body.
Palliative care
Palliative care focuses on relieving symptoms and improving quality of life at any stage of cancer. For advanced sarcoma, treatments such as surgery, radiation therapy or medicines also may be used to relieve symptoms even when eliminating the cancer isn't possible. Palliative care can be given with treatments intended to control the cancer.
Treatment side effects
Cancer treatment can cause side effects and complications. Surgery may affect movement and function, and some people need rehabilitation after treatment. Radiation therapy can cause wound-healing problems. Over time, it can cause tissue scarring, swelling called lymphedema or joint stiffness. Chemotherapy and other medicines can cause side effects that vary depending on the drugs used. Your healthcare team can explain the short- and long-term effects that are most likely with your treatment plan.
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Clinical trials
Explore Mayo Clinic studies testing new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this condition.
Coping and support
With time, you'll find what helps you cope with your sarcoma diagnosis. Until then, you may find that it helps to:
Learn enough about sarcoma to make decisions about your care
Ask your healthcare team about your cancer. Ask about your test results and the treatments you might have.
If you like, ask about the likely outcome of your condition with and without treatment. As you learn more about cancer, you may feel better about making treatment decisions.
Keep friends and family close
Strong relationships can help you deal with your cancer. Friends and family can give you the help you need. For instance, they can take care of your home if you're in the hospital. They can serve as emotional support when you feel like your cancer is too much to handle.
Find someone to talk with
Find a good listener who is willing to hear you talk about your condition. This may be a friend or family member. A counselor, medical social worker, clergy member or cancer support group also may be helpful.
Ask your healthcare team about support groups in your area. In the United States, look to the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society for more information.
Preparing for your appointment
Start by making an appointment with a doctor or other healthcare professional if you have symptoms that worry you.
Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment.
What you can do
When you make the appointment, ask if there's anything you need to do in advance, such as fasting before having a certain test. Make a list of:
- Your symptoms, including symptoms that don't seem linked to the reason for your appointment, and when they began.
- Key personal information, including major stresses, recent life changes and family medical history.
- All medications, vitamins or other supplements you take, including the doses.
- Questions to ask your healthcare team.
Bring a family member or friend with you, if possible, to help you remember the information you're given.
For sarcoma, some basic questions to ask include:
- What's likely causing my symptoms?
- Other than the most likely cause, what are other possible causes for my symptoms?
- What tests do I need?
- What's the best course of action?
- I have other health conditions. How can I manage them together?
- Should I see a specialist?
- Are there brochures or other printed materials I can have? What websites do you suggest?
Be sure to ask all the questions you have.
What to expect from your doctor
Your healthcare team is likely to ask you questions, such as:
- Do you have your symptoms all the time or do they come and go?
- How bad are your symptoms?
- What, if anything, seems to make your symptoms better?
- What, if anything, appears to make your symptoms worse?
Aug. 19, 2026