Sarcoma Causes and Risk Factors

The exact reason why some people develop cancer is not always clear. However, researchers have found specific factors that increase the chance of getting sarcoma. Known as risk factors, these are things that make it more likely for a person to have a disease.

Sarcomas start when changes happen in a cell’s DNA. In healthy cells, DNA instructs the cells to grow and die properly. When a person has sarcoma, it does not. This causes cells to multiply much faster than they should. Eventually, this forms a tumor.

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Risk Factors for Sarcoma

Most people who get sarcoma have no known risk factors. However, there are several that have been identified:

Inherited syndromes

Some people are born with gene changes passed down from their parents. Most people with these inherited syndromes don’t get cancer. However, they do have a higher risk of developing a sarcoma. Examples of these conditions include Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Gardner syndrome and Neurofibromatosis type 1.

Radiation therapy

If you had radiation for a different type of cancer in the past, your risk for sarcoma might be slightly higher. This usually happens in the part of the body where the radiation was focused. However, sarcoma linked to radiation is rare.

Lymphedema

Lymphedema is a type of swelling in the tissues. This can happen if you had your lymph nodes removed or damaged during a past surgery or radiation therapy.

Chemical exposure

Being around high levels of certain chemicals could increase your risk for sarcoma. This includes vinyl chloride and some chemicals used on farms.

Viruses

Being infected with certain viruses can be a risk factor for sarcoma. For example, people with HIV or a virus called human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) have a higher risk of developing Kaposi sarcoma.