Sarcoma Prognosis and Survival

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If sarcoma is found at an early stage and has not spread, it can often be successfully treated. The most common sarcoma treatments are surgery, chemotherapy, radiation or a combination of these therapies. However, if the sarcoma has spread to other parts of the body, treatment may be used to control the tumor, but the sarcoma itself often cannot be cured.

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Sarcoma Prognosis

A prognosis is a physician’s best estimate of how a patient will recover and what the chances of their disease returning are. This is based on their experience as well as examining data from similar cases.

Many factors need to be taken into account when considering the prognosis and sarcoma survival rate, such as:

  • The subtype of the sarcoma
  • The stage (how far it has advanced)
  • Where it is located
  • The size
  • The grade (how quickly the cancer cells are growing and dividing)
  • Other factors unique to the patient (like their overall and how they respond to treatment)

Survival Rates for Sarcoma

  • Soft tissue sarcoma: If you have soft tissue sarcoma and it has spread, the five-year survival rate is 15%. If it hasn’t spread the five-year survival rate is 81%.
  • Osteosarcoma: If you have osteosarcoma, the five-year survival rate is 77%. If it has spread, the five-year survival rate is 26%.

Sarcoma Prognosis and Survival FAQ

Each year, about 13,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with soft tissue sarcoma, and about 3,500 are diagnosed with bone cancer. Together, all types of sarcoma make up just 1% of all new cancer cases.