STEP 1: Prevention and early detection
This step outlines recommendations for the prevention and early detection of sarcoma. Eating a healthy diet, avoiding or limiting alcohol intake, regular exercise and maintaining a healthy body weight may help reduce cancer risk.
The causes of sarcoma are not fully understood, and there is currently no clear prevention strategy.
Risk factors for bone sarcoma may include:
- family history (slight increased risk)
- history of retinoblastoma
- Li-Fraumeni syndrome
- history of childhood cancer
- prior abnormalities such as Paget’s disease, avascular necrosis or polyostotic fibrous dysplasia
- past treatment with chemotherapy or radiation therapy
- exposure to certain chemicals (for example, vinyl chloride and dioxin)
- age: adolescent/young adult (less than 30) or over 50 years.
Risk factors for soft tissue sarcoma include:
- familial syndromes
- history of cancer
- past treatment with radiation therapy
- prolonged lymphoedema
- exposure to certain chemicals (for example, vinyl chloride and dioxin)
- age (over 50 years).
There is no population-based screening program for sarcoma. There is no evidence of benefit of population-based screening, including genetic screening.
