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Adult Soft Tissue Sarcoma Treatment (PDQ®)

Patient Version
Last Modified: 12/08/2011

Treatment Options for Recurrent Adult Soft Tissue Sarcoma

Treatment of recurrent adult soft tissue sarcoma may include the following:

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with recurrent adult soft tissue sarcoma 1. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site 2.



Glossary Terms

amputation (am-pyoo-TAY-shun)
Surgery to remove part or all of a limb or appendage.
chemotherapy (KEE-moh-THAYR-uh-pee)
Treatment with drugs that kill cancer cells.
clinical trial (KLIH-nih-kul TRY-ul)
A type of research study that tests how well new medical approaches work in people. These studies test new methods of screening, prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of a disease. Also called clinical study.
drug (drug)
Any substance, other than food, that is used to prevent, diagnose, treat or relieve symptoms of a disease or abnormal condition. Also refers to a substance that alters mood or body function, or that can be habit-forming or addictive, especially a narcotic.
high-dose chemotherapy (hy-dose kee-moh-THAYR-uh-pee)
An intensive drug treatment to kill cancer cells, but that also destroys the bone marrow and can cause other severe side effects. High-dose chemotherapy is usually followed by bone marrow or stem cell transplantation to rebuild the bone marrow.
lung (lung)
One of a pair of organs in the chest that supplies the body with oxygen, and removes carbon dioxide from the body.
radiation therapy (RAY-dee-AY-shun THAYR-uh-pee)
The use of high-energy radiation from x-rays, gamma rays, neutrons, protons, and other sources to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation may come from a machine outside the body (external-beam radiation therapy), or it may come from radioactive material placed in the body near cancer cells (internal radiation therapy). Systemic radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance, such as a radiolabeled monoclonal antibody, that travels in the blood to tissues throughout the body. Also called irradiation and radiotherapy.
recurrent cancer (ree-KER-ent KAN-ser)
Cancer that has recurred (come back), usually after a period of time during which the cancer could not be detected. The cancer may come back to the same place as the original (primary) tumor or to another place in the body. Also called recurrence.
soft tissue sarcoma (…TIH-shoo sar-KOH-muh)
A cancer that begins in the muscle, fat, fibrous tissue, blood vessels, or other supporting tissue of the body.
stem cell transplant (stem sel TRANZ-plant)
A method of replacing immature blood-forming cells in the bone marrow that have been destroyed by drugs, radiation, or disease. Stem cells are injected into the patient and make healthy blood cells. A stem cell transplant may be autologous (using a patient’s own stem cells that were saved before treatment), allogeneic (using stem cells donated by someone who is not an identical twin), or syngeneic (using stem cells donated by an identical twin).
surgery (SER-juh-ree)
A procedure to remove or repair a part of the body or to find out whether disease is present. An operation.
wide local excision (…LOH-kul ek-SIH-zhun)
Surgery to cut out the cancer and some healthy tissue around it.

Table of Links

1http://www.cancer.gov/Search/ClinicalTrialsLink.aspx?Diagnosis=43678&tt=1&a
mp;format=1&cn=1
2http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials