Because these are rare tumors that can arise virtually anywhere in the body, there are no standard screening measures. Both bone and soft tissue sarcomas may appear silently with an enlarging mass or swelling that may not be apparent until it causes pain or pressure symptoms.
Early detection requires that all unexplained masses or lumps in the soft tissues be assessed clinically and, in some cases, with CT or MRI scans and that they be biopsied or removed. Early detection is often difficult, however, not only because these cancers grow without producing symptoms but also because they arise in inaccessible places.
