Soft tissue sarcoma

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Stages

Stage describes how much cancer there is and how far it has spread. For soft tissue sarcoma, stages generally range from 1 to 4. A lower stage generally means the cancer is more limited. A higher stage means it is more advanced.

Both tumor grade and stage help the healthcare team understand the likely outcome of the condition, called the prognosis, and decide the treatment plan.

Healthcare professionals usually summarize the stage as TNM plus grade. TNM stands for:

  • T: The size and extent of the primary tumor.
  • N: Whether the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes.
  • M: Whether the cancer has spread to distant parts of the body.
  • Grade: The grade of the tumor.

Separate staging criteria are used for sarcomas in different areas of the body. Some soft tissue sarcomas do not have staging.

Your care team can explain how your soft tissue sarcoma's stage is described and what that means for you.

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Diagnosis & treatmentSurvival rates
Sept. 11, 2026

Living with soft tissue sarcoma?

Connect with others like you for support and answers to your questions in the Sarcoma support group on Mayo Clinic Connect, a patient community.

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