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This site requires the Flash 8 plug-in (or higher). Download it from Private Health Insurance Doesn't Protect Cancer Patients from High Costs, Report Illustrates Get help making treatment decisions, understanding the effects of treatment, finding ... [... more]
American Cancer Society |
What Is Rhabdomyosarcoma?
Skeletal muscles begin to form in embryos about 7 weeks into early embryonic development. At that time, rhabdomyoblasts (cells that will eventually form muscles) begin to form. It is these cells that can develop into the cancer called ... [... more]
American Cancer Society |
What Is a Soft Tissue Sarcoma?
There are many types of soft tissue tumors, and not all of them are cancerous. When a tumor is not cancerous, it is called Nerves run throughout the body. The brain and spinal cord are also considered central nerve tissue. The tumors discussed ... [... more]
American Cancer Society |
Can Rhabdomyosarcoma Be Found Early?
Fortunately, many rhabdomyosarcomas start in areas that are very obvious and easily detected. For example, small tumors that start in the muscles behind the eye often cause the eye to bulge out, while tumors in the nasal cavity often cause nasal ... [... more]
American Cancer Society |
Can Soft Tissue Sarcomas Be Found Early?
People with a strong family history of sarcomas or other cancers occurring at a young age may wish to discuss the benefits and disadvantages of genetic testing with their doctor. The genetic testing results should always be explained by a genetic ... [... more]
American Cancer Society |
How Is Rhabdomyosarcoma Diagnosed?
The location of the tumor largely determines the problem that brings the mass to someone's attention: It is unusual for children to come to the doctor with symptoms related to spread or metastasis from rhabdomyosarcoma, but occasionally enlarged ... [... more]
American Cancer Society |
How Is Rhabdomyosarcoma Staged?
Your child's doctors will use the results of the imaging tests (described in "How Is Rhabdomyosarcoma Diagnosed?"), the pathologist's biopsy reports, and the direct examination of the organs during surgery to determine how far the cancer has ... [... more]
American Cancer Society |
How Are Soft Tissue Sarcomas Diagnosed?
If you have symptoms or other reasons that suggest you may have a sarcoma, the doctor will use one or more methods to find out if the disease is really present. When sarcomas develop on the arms or legs, most people simply notice a lump that has ... [... more]
American Cancer Society |
How Are Soft Tissue Sarcomas Staged?
The process of finding out how far the cancer has spread is called staging. In sarcoma staging, doctors also evaluate the appearance of the tumor under the microscope and judge how fast the cancer seems to be growing. The information needed to ... [... more]
American Cancer Society |
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs for treating cancer. Chemotherapy is systemic therapy, meaning that the drug enters the bloodstream and reaches throughout the body to destroy cancer cells. This makes chemotherapy useful for treating ... [... more]
American Cancer Society |
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the use of anticancer drugs given into a vein or taken by mouth. These drugs enter the bloodstream and reach all areas of the body, making this treatment useful for cancer that has spread (metastasized) to other organs. Depending ... [... more]
American Cancer Society |
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy (radiotherapy) uses high-energy radiation to kill cancer cells. Radiotherapy is an effective way to kill cancer cells that cannot be removed during surgery. It is most useful in patients who have some of the main tumor left ... [... more]
American Cancer Society |
