Sarcoma, or soft tissue sarcoma, is a kind of cancer that occurs in the body’s soft tissues. These are the tissues that are not organs nor bones, such as the tendons, fat, blood vessels, deep skin tissues, and nerves. Sarcomas are rare. Most soft tissue carcinomas are located in the arms, legs, torso area, and some in the neck, head, or abdominal cavity. This article discusses ten risk factors for sarcomas.

1. Radiation exposure
People who are exposed to radiation during therapy are at a high risk of developing sarcoma. Normal X-rays are not a risk factor.

2. Lymphedema
Lymphedema is a condition when the lymph system is damaged, resulting in the collection of fluids in the tissues. This happens when the lymph nodes have been damaged by some other radiation or surgically removed.

3. Chemical exposure
Exposure to certain chemicals is one of the added risk factors for sarcoma. Some chemicals thought to have this side effect include chemical dioxin, chlorophenols, and herbicides.

4. Family history
People with a family history of sarcoma or any other cancer are at high risk. This is because the gene defect that causes sarcoma could have been passed on from generation to the next. If there is such a family history, gene testing is recommended.

5. Neurofibromatosis
Neurofibromatosis is a disease that causes the formation of non-cancerous tumors in the nerves under the skin and other parts of the body. Approximately five percent of people with neurofibromatosis go on to develop cancer in the nerve sheath called malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors. This disease is usually hereditary.

6. Inherited disorders
Some diseases that run in families increase the risk of sarcoma and other cancers. Examples of these disorders include tuberous sclerosis, Werner syndrome, Gardner syndrome, neurofibromatosis type 1 (von Recklinghausen disease or NF1), Li-Fraumeni syndrome, familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), and basal cell nevus syndrome.

7. Age, gender, and height

Sarcomas are common in the teenage years due to growth spurts. It is found that children with sarcomas are taller than average for their age. This could be because a link exists between rapid bone growth and the tumors forming. Also, men are at a higher risk than women.

8. Bone diseases
Certain diseases of the bone are related to sarcomas. It is seen that teenagers or children with certain non-cancerous bone diseases, such as Paget disease of bone and multiple hereditary osteochondromas, are at a higher risk of developing sarcoma later on in life.

9. Retinoblastoma
Retinoblastoma is an eye cancer that sometimes runs in families. Children and those who have been cured of this eye cancer have a higher risk of sarcomas later.

10. Tamoxifen
Tamoxifen is used to treat breast cancer. However, this drug is one of the risk factors for sarcoma later on.