Cancer is a condition characterized by the uncontrolled growth of dangerous, abnormal cells. Sarcoma and carcinoid tumors are two distinct forms of cancer that appear in different areas of the body.
The Facts
According to the Sarcoma Foundation of America, sarcomas affect soft tissue or bone. Slow-growing and rare, carcinoid tumors can arise out of any cells that produce hormones.
Sarcomas
Sarcomas strike joints, muscles, fat, nerves, joints, bones and blood vessels. They most frequently occur in the limbs.
Carcinoid Tumors
Three in four carcinoid tumors strike the gastrointestinal tract, including the small intestine. Almost all other cases occur in the lungs.
Detection
Sarcomas sometimes occur in the deep structures of the body, and frequently go undetected until past the point of cure. Individuals with carcinoid tumors may not experience symptoms for a number of years, and tumors frequently go undiscovered until they cause physical discomfort.
Considerations
Bone sarcoma (osteosarcoma) represents the rarest type of the disease, and constitutes less than one percent of new annual cancer cases.
Tags: carcinoid tumors
