Sarcoma is a malignancy of which tissues?

Sarcoma is a malignancy of which tissues?

• A. Malignancy of epithelial tissues lining organs
• B. Malignancy of blood forming tissues
• C. Malignancy of nervous tissue
• D. Malignancy of connective and supporting tissues including bone, muscle, fat, cartilage, and blood vessels

Answer: (D)

Sarcomas are cancers that originate in mesenchymal, or connective, tissues. This includes bone, muscle, fat, cartilage, and the walls of blood vessels, all of which are part of the supporting framework of the body. Because of this origin, sarcomas arise from connective tissues rather than from epithelial lining cells, blood-forming tissues, or neural tissue. To contrast briefly: cancers that arise from epithelial tissues lining organs are carcinomas; cancers from blood-forming tissues are leukemias or lymphomas; and tumors from nervous tissue are often gliomas or related CNS tumors. The description of malignancy in connective and supporting tissues fits sarcomas, with examples like osteosarcoma (bone), liposarcoma (fat), leiomyosarcoma (smooth muscle), and chondrosarcoma (cartilage).

Sarcomas are cancers that originate in mesenchymal, or connective, tissues. This includes bone, muscle, fat, cartilage, and the walls of blood vessels, all of which are part of the supporting framework of the body. Because of this origin, sarcomas arise from connective tissues rather than from epithelial lining cells, blood-forming tissues, or neural tissue.

To contrast briefly: cancers that arise from epithelial tissues lining organs are carcinomas; cancers from blood-forming tissues are leukemias or lymphomas; and tumors from nervous tissue are often gliomas or related CNS tumors. The description of malignancy in connective and supporting tissues fits sarcomas, with examples like osteosarcoma (bone), liposarcoma (fat), leiomyosarcoma (smooth muscle), and chondrosarcoma (cartilage).