Clear Cell Sarcoma

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with clear cell sarcoma, you are probably looking for answers to your questions and concerns about the disease. We strongly recommend that you speak with your doctor and other medical professionals about all aspects of the diagnosis. However, you can consider this guide an introduction to clear cell sarcoma to give you a basic understanding of the disease and help you asked informed questions.

In addition, at the bottom of this guide we have posted a variety of reasons why you might want to pursue a medical malpractice or tort claim if you believe that the clear cell sarcoma diagnosis or treatment was mishandled by medical professionals.

What Is Clear Cell Sarcoma?

Here we will discuss clear cell sarcoma of the soft tissue. This type of sarcoma is most often found in adults between the ages of 20 to 40, with no distinct preference for females over males.

Sarcomas in general are cancers that appear in connective tissue. Clear cell sarcoma usually grows on tendons in the limbs, especially those in the hands and feet. They can also grow in the gastrointestinal tract and throughout the torso.

Unlike many other types of sarcoma, clear cell sarcoma usually arises as a result of genetic mutation. The exact cause of most sarcomas cannot be pinpointed.

Symptoms of Clear Cell Sarcoma

Initially clear cell sarcoma patients present few symptoms or pain. If the tumor is not too deep within the body, it is sometimes presented as a slow-growing lump not unlike a hernia. It is possible that the tumor will interfere with the functioning of tendons or organs as it grows and metastasizes to other tissues.

As the sarcoma grows, more obvious symptoms of advanced cancer will appear, including fatigue, weight loss and corresponding loss of appetite.

Clear Cell Sarcoma Treatment Options

The most common treatment route is surgery, with a wide local excision. Clear cell sarcoma tends to be quite invasive, so the surgeon removes a margin of normal tissue (this is often referred to as a surgical margin) in order to prevent local recurrence.

In addition to surgery, radiation and/or chemotherapy is used as a supplement to prevent local recurrence.

Prognosis for Clear Cell Sarcoma Patients

The most difficult fact of a clear cell sarcoma diagnosis is that it is prone to relapse and spread long after its initial diagnosis. About two-thirds of patients survive five years after their initial diagnosis, 33 percent after ten years and around ten percent after 20 years.

Clear Cell Sarcoma Medical Malpractice

There are several reasons why you might pursue a medical malpractice claim against your doctors or other medical professionals. If you believe that your clear cell sarcoma was diagnosed incorrectly or late you might have a medical malpractice claim. You might have a medical malpractice claim if the recommended course of treatment was inadequate or surgery was botched.