Sarcoma Prevention and Risk Factors
Sarcoma is a rare cancer. Many people who develop sarcoma have no clear risk factors and there is often no known cause. Still, learning what can raise your risk can help guide conversations with your doctor about monitoring, genetic counseling, and when to seek care.
What are the risk factors for sarcoma?
Like most cancers, sarcomas are generally caused by genetic changes or mutations where the tumor forms. Most sarcomas are sporadic, meaning they happen without a known cause. However, anything that increases gene mutations can increase the risk of cancer, including sarcoma. Some documented risk factors of sarcoma include:
- Previous radiation exposure (usually for treatment of other cancers)
- Inherited (genetic) syndromes that raise lifetime cancer risk
- Certain bone conditions (for bone sarcomas)
Having one or more risk factors does not mean you will get sarcoma – and many people with sarcoma have none of these.
Previous radiation
Radiation exposure (for the prior treatment of other cancers) may increase the likelihood of developing sarcoma. However, this accounts for fewer than 5% of all sarcomas. Modern radiation techniques can deliver precise doses of radiation to specific areas, reducing exposure to healthy areas. However, because sarcomas take so long to form, the results of today’s better radiation techniques may not be seen for a long time.
Genetic and inherited syndromes
Some inherited conditions raise the chance of developing sarcoma. If these syndromes run in your family—or if you’ve had multiple cancers—ask your doctor about whether genetic counseling is right for you.
- Neurofibromatosis
- Gardner’s syndrome
- Li-Fraumeni syndrome
- Retinoblastoma (hereditary form)
- Werner’s syndrome
- Gorlin syndrome
- Tuberous sclerosis
- Maffucci syndrome
- Ollier disease
Other risk factors
- Damaged lymph system (Lymphedema). Lymphedema can happen when lymph nodes are removed or damaged by radiation, causing lymph fluid to build up and lead to swelling.
- Bone diseases (for bone sarcomas). Specific bone conditions and disorders of bone growth/remodeling can raise the risk of bone sarcomas. Your doctor may recommend closer monitoring if you have one of these conditions.
Screening and prevention
There is no standard screening test to find sarcoma early in people without symptoms. For bone cancers in particular, there are no known lifestyle-related or environmental causes that clearly prevent most cases.
However, there are steps you can take to lower your general cancer risk. These include:
- Get regular checkups. Report any new or growing lumps, persistent pain, or unexplained swelling or weight loss.
- Avoid unnecessary radiation exposure. If imaging is needed, your team will use the lowest reasonable dose.
- Maintain healthy lifestyle habits that support overall cancer risk reduction. These include avoiding smoking, limiting alcohol, staying physically active, eating a balanced diet, and maintaining a healthy weight.
- Consider genetic counselling. If you have relevant family history or known genetic syndromes, this can help your doctor create a personalized monitoring plan that works best for you.