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The name says little. But it is important to know what they are sarcomas, rare cancers affecting the body’s supporting tissues. If it is true that they affect less than 6 in 100,000 people every year, it is equally undeniable for those who suffer from it and for families it is difficult to find the answers they need. It begins with diagnoses that may be inappropriate or late, there is the risk of having suboptimal treatments, it becomes difficult to understand which are the most specialized centers on these forms.
For this reason, the Paola Gonzato Trust – Rete Sarcoma Onlus promotes and launches the 2021 information and awareness campaign “Let’s network against sarcomas: the importance of the network, the value of research and the role of institutions”. The initiative is carried out with the patronage of the National Agency for Regional Health Services (Agenas), the National Federation of the Orders of Medical Surgeons and Dentists (FNOMCeO), the Italian Rowing Federation, the National Center for Oncological Adrotherapy (CNAO) ) and Sarcoma Patients EuroNet (SPAEN).
How many are they and how they face each other
Treatment typically involves surgery, often preceded or followed by chemo and / or radiotherapy depending on the location and nature of the tumor. They are few the warning symptoms of a sarcoma: in the most common situations it is a mass with rapid onset and growth at the level of the muscle masses of the limbs or trunk. These injuries are easily recognizable, with the exception of the limbs where large injuries such as rapidly growing golf balls must be carefully monitored. But it’s not always like this.
Over 70 different types of sarcomas are recognized with involvement of different body structures and organs. Tumors may be present in the subcutaneous (liposarcomas), in the muscles (leiomyosarcomas or rhabdomyosarcomas), but also in the bones (osteosarcoma). In addition, soft tissue sarcomas can occur that originate in locations with soft connective tissue such as muscles, tendons, synoviums with greater involvement of the lower limbs, in the pelvis area of the pelvis behind and arms and more rarely the uterus, chest and neck. As for the more rigid tissues, sarcomas of the bone tissues are particularly significant.
The importance of the diagnosis
Let’s start from difficulty in recognizing these diseases. What makes the diagnosis of these tumors complex is the fact that sarcomas are often initially easily confused with very frequent pathologies, such as those that occur following any trauma (for example a contusion or a hematoma) or as some common benign tumors and not worrying such as lipomas. Lack of easy-to-use diagnostic tests make screening programs unworkable.
According to the European Strategic Agenda on Sarcoma 2017, up to 40% of diagnoses are incorrect and only 22% of patients participate in clinical trials. Unfortunately, if the patient is taken in charge outside a reference center dedicated to sarcomas, important phases of the treatment process can be compromised, starting with the indication of an appropriate therapy.
To solve these critical issues at least in part, it is more urgent than ever to start the National Rare Cancer Network, established in 2017 but still not fully active. According to Paolo G. Casali, Coordinator for Sarcomas in the EURACAN European Network and for Adult Rare Solid Tumors in the National Rare Cancer Network, Director of the Medical Oncology Unit 2, IRCCS Foundation National Cancer Institute of Milan “the Network will be able to solve the many critical issues of care pathway for patients with sarcomas and may also limit healthcare migration, because the patient will move less, while their clinical information will move more.
It must become a resource of the National Health Service for patients, it is urgent to activate it immediately, at least for some pathologies and at least with the Centers, with three priorities: identifying the reference Centers, creating the IT system, ensuring the economic sustainability of the Network “.
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