Update on new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for sarcomas

Abstract

Sarcomas represent a family of uncommon malignancies related by histopathology and developmental biology. Sarcomas arise from any of the mesodermal tissues anywhere in the body (muscles, tendons, adipose tissue, blood vessels, and joints) from cells of mesenchymal origin or in the peripheral nervous system, derived from the ectoderm. Mainly diagnosed in the extremities, sarcomas can be present also in soft tissues of the trunk, abdomen, and retroperitoneum, as well as the head and neck. During the last decade, improvements in diagnostic techniques have made it possible to identify and characterize a subset of sarcomas arising within the gastrointestinal tract known as gastrointestinal stromal tumors, which were previously commonly misclassified as leiomyosarcomas. Sarcomas are extremely heterogeneous, so expert histopathologic characterization is essential to choose the appropriate path of multidisciplinary treatment and predict possible clinical outcomes. The aim of this review is to provide a brief overview of the epidemiology, pathology, clinical presentation, and new approaches to the treatment of adult soft-tissue and bone sarcomas.