Sarcoma Awareness Month: what you need to know
July marks Sarcoma Awareness month, which aims to raise awareness about this rare cancer.
What are sarcomas?
Sarcomas are uncommon cancers of the bone and soft tissues that can affect any part of the body, in adults & children.
Because they are uncommon, the signs can be overlooked or mistaken for another condition such as a cyst or growing pains. Sarcoma awareness is important because early detection can save lives.
What should you look out for?
Signs and symptoms may include:
- A lump which is growing, changing, or bigger than a golf ball
- Swelling, tenderness or pain in or around the bone which may come and go and may be worse at night
- Stomach pain, feeling sick, loss of appetite or feeling full after eating only a small amount of food
- Blood in either your poo or vomit
It is important to remember most lumps and pains are not sarcomas, and this list doesn’t cover everything.
These symptoms can be easy to dismiss but know your normal – be aware of changes in your body & if something doesn’t feel right, trust your instincts and seek help early from your GP. When sarcoma is caught early, treatment is often more effective and less aggressive.
Learn more about sarcomas on the NHS website: Soft tissue sarcoma – NHS