Neha Vapiwala, MD Updated by Christine Hill-Kayser, MD Abramson
Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania Last Modified:
March 22, 2012 Sarcoma is a general medical term that refers to
any cancer of the bone, muscle, or other connective tissue, such
as cartilage and tendons. Sarcoma has sometimes been defined as
a "tumor of fleshy consistence", made up of cells similar to
those of the growing fetus, but without proper development.
Sarcomas can occur in both children and adults, both males and
females. In fact, there are many different types of sarcomas,
depending on where the cancer cells grow and how they appear
under a microscope. These different types are in turn associated
with different clinical behavior, which naturally influences how
they are treated. Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common type of
soft tissue sarcoma found in children. It is still a rare cancer
overall, accounting for about 3.5% of all childhood cancers.
About 250 new cases of rhabdomyosarcoma are diagnosed in the
United States ever