If soft tissue sarcoma spreads

Last medical review:

Cancer cells can spread from the place where they started to other parts of the body. This spread is called metastasis.

Understanding how a type of cancer usually grows and spreads helps your healthcare team plan your treatment and future care. Where soft tissue sarcoma is most likely to spread depends on where in the body the cancer started. The most common place soft tissue sarcoma spreads is the lungs.

Soft tissue sarcoma of the arms and legs (extremities) or torso can spread to:

Soft tissue sarcoma of the abdomen and thoracic organs (the viscera) can spread to:

  • nearby tissues within the affected body cavity
  • the liver
  • the lungs

Soft tissue sarcoma of the head and neck can spread to the lungs.

Soft tissue sarcoma of the back of the abdomen (the retroperitoneum) can spread to the lungs or liver.

Expert review and references

  • Michael Monument, MD, MSc, FRCSC
  • Pollock, RE, Maki RG, Baldini EH, Hornick JL, et al.. Soft Tissue Sarcoma of the Retroperitoneum. Amin, MB (ed.). AJCC Cancer Staging Manual. 8th ed. Chicago, IL: American College of Surgeons; 2017.
  • Singer S, Tap WD, Kirsch DG, Agaram NP, D'Angelo SP, Crago AM. Soft Tissue Sarcoma. DeVita VT Jr, Lawrence TS, Rosenberg S. eds. DeVita Hellman and Rosenberg's Cancer: Principles and Practice of Oncology . 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer; 2023: Kindle version, [chapter 60], https://read.amazon.ca/?asin=B0BG3DPT4Q&language=en-CA.
  • Yoon, SS, Maki RG, Asare EA, Cooper K, Hornick JL, et al.. Soft Tissue Sarcoma of the Trunk and Extremities. Amin, MB (ed.). AJCC Cancer Staging Manual . 8th ed. Chicago, IL: American College of Surgeons; 2017.

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