Sarcoma sinovial

Descripción general

El sarcoma sinovial es un tipo de cáncer poco frecuente que suele aparecer cerca de las articulaciones grandes, principalmente las rodillas. El sarcoma sinovial suele afectar a adultos jóvenes.

El sarcoma sinovial comienza como una proliferación de células que pueden multiplicarse rápidamente y destruir el tejido sano. El primer síntoma suele ser hinchazón o un bulto bajo la piel. El bulto puede doler o no.

El sarcoma sinovial puede aparecer en casi cualquier parte del cuerpo. Los lugares más comunes son las piernas y los brazos.

El sarcoma sinovial es un tipo de cáncer llamado sarcoma de tejido blando. Estos tipos de cáncer se forman en los tejidos conectivos del cuerpo. Existen muchos tipos de sarcomas de tejido blando.

Síntomas

Signs and symptoms of synovial sarcoma depend on where the cancer starts. Most people notice a painless lump or bump that slowly gets bigger. The lump usually starts near the knee or ankle, but it can appear on any part of the body.

Synovial sarcoma symptoms may include:

• A lump or bump under the skin that slowly gets bigger.
• Joint stiffness.
• Pain.
• Swelling.

Synovial sarcoma that happens in the head or neck can cause other symptoms. These may include:

• Problems breathing.
• Difficulty swallowing.
• Changes in the way the voice sounds.

When to see a doctor

Make an appointment with a doctor or other healthcare professional if you have any symptoms that don't go away and that worry you.

Causas

It's not clear what causes synovial sarcoma.

This kind of cancer forms when cells develop changes in their DNA. A cell's DNA holds the instructions that tell the cell what to do. In healthy cells, the DNA gives instructions to grow and multiply at a set rate. The instructions tell the cells to die at a set time. In cancer cells, the DNA changes give different instructions. The changes tell the cancer cells to make many more cells quickly. Cancer cells can keep living when healthy cells would die. This causes too many cells.

The cancer cells might form a mass called a tumor. The tumor can grow to invade and destroy healthy body tissue. In time, cancer cells can break away and spread to other parts of the body. When cancer spreads, it's called metastatic cancer.

Factores de riesgo

Younger age is a risk factor for synovial sarcoma. This cancer happens most often in older children and young adults.

There is no way to prevent synovial sarcoma.

Living with sarcoma sinovial?

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

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