Sarcoma: Causes, or Increases the Risk for Getting a Sarcoma

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(Free-Press-Release.com) February 15, 2005 -- What Causes, or Increases the Risk for Getting a Sarcoma?

As with every cancer, the precise reason why one person gets a Sarcoma and another does not remains unknown. This is particularly true for Chondrosarcoma, which often arises with no preceding risks identified. However, depending upon the particular subtype, various things have been noted (by studying groups of patients) which seem to increase overall sarcoma risk:

1) Carcinogens (Chemical Exposure) - Some chemicals have the ability to get into cells and damage their DNA, leading to disease. The chemical may kill cells, leading to an increase in production of new ones, but some cells may not be killed only injured. These cells often try hard to repair themselves, but may try to divide before succeeding with complete repair. The more often damaged cells try to divide, the higher the chance for a cancer to arise. Some chemicals shown to raise the risk for cancer in general, and sarcomas in particular, include Dioxin, Polyvinyl Chloride, Arsenic, Benzene, and Thorium.

2) Radiation Exposure - Ionizing radiation passes through cells and damages their DNA. This may lead to malfunction of genes which would normally prevent the damaged cell from dividing (suppressor gene), or turn on a potential cancer gene (oncogene). The most common type of cancers arising from prior radiation treatment are sarcomas. Early watch makers licked their radium-tipped brushed (used to pain luminous dials), getting bone sarcomas.

While the risk is extremely low with occasional diagnostic X-rays, getting X-ray therapy (especially for a cancer caused by a genetic disease {e.g. retinoblastoma} may result in a 20% risk of later sarcomas (radiation carcinogenesis).

3) Viruses - These actually get into cells, insinuate themselves into the DNA, and start giving their own instructions to the cell! In the process, they can do damage to the host DNA, leading to cancer. Kaposi�s sarcoma linked with the HIV (AIDS) virus is the best known example.

4) Genetic Diseases (Family Syndromes) - These include disease where the genes are damaged from birth, and thus susceptible to turning cancerous (such as Neurofibromatosis, Beckwith Weidemann and Retinoblastoma). Also, there are inborn diseases where DNA repair is impaired, or the stop signal that prevents damaged cells from dividing is broken (Li-Fraumeni). With Chondrosarcoma, there may be preceding Enchondromas (bone cysts) from the rare Maffucci's syndrome or Ollier's syndrome.

5) Chronic Irritation - This can stimulate cells to divide, and the more often division occurs (especially in cells that don�t normally divide often) the more likely a cancerous one is to arise. Examples include the lymphangiosarcomas seen in limbs with chronic swelling (edema) called the Stewart-Treves syndrome in women with arm swelling after treatment for breast cancer. Also, there is more risk for sarcomas around permanent stabilization pins placed into bones and joints after traumatic injuries.