What is alveolar soft part sarcoma?
Alveolar soft tissue sarcoma is a slowly growing soft tissue tumour that can originate from a variety of soft tissues such as muscle, fat, and nerves. It especially affects young people and has a poor prognosis. It is usually diagnosed at a later stage when it spreads to distant parts of the body from its site of origin.Disease Etiology (causes)
There is no well-known cause, however, certain genetic mutations are considered responsible for the development of alveolar soft part sarcoma.Disease Epidemiology
It is rare cancer and accounts for approximately 0.2% of all soft tissue sarcomas.Signs and symptoms
The patient may suffer from the following signs and symptoms. These are- A slowly growing painless mass or lump usually develops at the leg or buttock.
- It can spread to the lungs which resulted in a persistent cough, difficulty in breathing, and coughing up blood or blood-stained mucus.
Diagnosis
The following diagnostic tests and procedures can be used to make a diagnosis. These are- Imaging tests such as X-Ray, CT scan (computerized tomography), PET scan (Positron emission tomography) help detect the site, size, and location of the tumour.
- Complete blood count (Complete blood count)
- Tumour biopsy and histopathological examination