A tumor, often highly malignant, composed of cells derived from connective tissue such as bone and cartilage, muscle, blood vessel or lymphoid tissue. These tumors usually develop rapidly and metastasize through the lymph vessels.
The different types of sarcomas are named after the specific tissue they affect: fibrosarcoma—in fibrous connective tissue; lymphosarcoma—in lymphoid tissues; osteosarcoma—in bone; chondrosarcoma—in cartilage; rhabdosarcoma—in muscle; liposarcoma—in fat cells.
- feline post-traumatic s. — seen in cats, usually following injury from a penetrating injury to the eye. An orbit-destructive and sometimes metastasizing spindle-cell sarcoma develops months or years later.
- feline vaccine-associated s. — a rare malignancy in cats occurring in sites typically used for the injection of vaccines. There is an often rapidly growing, soft tissue swelling most commonly located over the cervical-interscapular region or thigh, which is a highly invasive tumor, usually a fibrosarcoma. Treatment by surgical resection, radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy may not be successful. In 1996, a Feline Vaccine-Associated Sarcoma Task Force was formed to investigate the condition and to issue guidelines for administration of vaccines and for the management of injection site masses and tumors. A causal relationship with rabies and feline leukemia virus vaccines has been found. Called also feline injection site sarcoma.
- giant cell s. — a malignant form of giant cell tumor of bone.
- infectious s. — see canine transmissible venereal tumor.
- mast cell s. — see mast cell tumor.
- melanocytic s. — melanoma.
- osteogenic s. — see osteosarcoma.
- post-traumatic s. — see feline post-traumatic sarcoma (above).
- reticulum cell s. — an old term for a form of malignant lymphoma, histiocytic lymphosarcoma, in which the dominant cell type is thought to be derived from histiocytic or macrophage origin. There is increasing evidence, however, that this neoplasm arises from transformed lymphocytes or immunoblasts.
- Rous s. — see rous sarcoma.
- spindle-cell s. — see hemangiopericytoma.
- Sticker's s. — see canine transmissible venereal tumor.
- transmissible venereal s. — see canine transmissible venereal tumor.
- s. virus — see feline sarcoma virus.
