Overview

Epithelioid sarcoma is a rare type of cancer that starts as a growth of cells in the soft tissue. It can happen anywhere on the body. It often starts under the skin on the finger, hand, forearm, knee or lower leg.

Epithelioid sarcoma can happen at any age. It most often affects teenagers and young to middle-aged adults. Epithelioid sarcoma tends to grow slowly. It can come back after treatment.

Epithelioid sarcoma is a type of cancer called a soft tissue sarcoma. These cancers happen in the body's connective tissues. There are many types of soft tissue sarcoma. Soft tissue sarcomas, including epithelioid sarcoma, are not common. It is best to seek care at a cancer center that has experience treating people with sarcoma.

Jan. 17, 2025

Living with epithelioid sarcoma?

Connect with others like you for support and answers to your questions in the Sarcoma support group on Mayo Clinic Connect, a patient community.

Sarcoma Discussions

kathleenkin
Does anyone have chondrosarcoma?

23 Replies Sat, Jan 18, 2025

bkayk
How do you, as a parent, deal with the anger? Son has sarcoma

9 Replies Sat, Jan 18, 2025

ksnozal
GNET Sarcoma-Gastrointestinal Neuroectodermal Tumors

15 Replies Thu, Jan 16, 2025

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  1. Goldblum JR, et al. Other malignant soft tissue tumors, including those of uncertain type. In: Enzinger and Weiss's Soft Tissue Tumors. 7th ed. Elsevier; 2020. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Jan. 5, 2023.
  2. Schuetze SM, et al. Uncommon sarcoma subtypes. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Jan. 5, 2023.
  3. Sarcomas, soft tissue — Introduction. Cancer.Net. https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/sarcoma/view-all. Accessed Jan. 5, 2023.
  4. Soft tissue sarcoma. National Comprehensive Cancer Network. https://www.nccn.org/guidelines/guidelines-detail?category=1&id=1464. Accessed Dec. 20, 2024.
  5. Meissner M, et al. Pharmacotherapeutic strategies for epithelioid sarcoma: Are we any closer to a non-surgical cure? Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy. 2023; doi:10.1080/14656566.2023.2224500.
  6. Gounder M, et al. Tazemetostat in advanced epithelioid sarcoma with loss of INI1/SMARCB1: An international, open-label, phase 2 basket study. The Lancet Oncology. 2020; doi:10.1016/s1470-2045(20)30451-4.

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