“Sarcomas are a rare group of cancers in which malignant cells form in the bones or soft tissues of the body.
Soft tissue sarcomas form in cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, tendons, nerves, and around joints. Osteosarcomas develop in bone; liposarcomas form in fat cells. Rhabdomyosarcomas form in muscle, and Ewing sarcomas form in bone and soft tissue.”
American Association For Cancer Research – AACR (Sarcoma and Bone Cancer Awareness Month | AACR)
Sarcoma is a rare but deadly form of cancer affecting connective tissues such as fat, muscle, blood vessels, nerve, bone, deep skin and cartilage. There are roughly 15,000 new cases in the United States each year, with a very low median age of 36 (for bone sarcomas). Survival rates are low, even in comparison to other rare cancers. Rhabdomyosarcoma, a relatively common sarcoma, has a five-year survival rate of 65%, even if caught before metastasis. If caught after metastasis, the five-year survival rate lowers to approximately 30%. This is all to say that while sarcomas are rare, they are extremely devastating.
Sarcomas are a diverse and sporadic group of tumors that have minimal hereditary influence. They are generally classified into two major groups; the group of tumor-specific reoccurring genetic mutations via specific and aberrant chromosome translocation, and the group of non-reoccurring mutations which are based on severe genetic and chromosomal instability. Both groups have altered cell growth-factor signaling pathways. As a result, the introduction of drugs which can normalize growth-factor receptors and proteins are of great interest and the primary treatment given. With improvements in these drugs, it is believed that sarcoma can move from a deadly disease to a chronic but non-life-threatening disease.
Unfortunately, the specificity of the first group of sarcomas, where specific chromosomes are improperly translocated, can often permit the sarcoma to prevail after standard treatment. This is obviously problematic but, if overcome, could spark the development of a whole new field of cancer treatment. In other words, if scientists can discover how to isolate and guide specific chromosomal arrangement, they will able to address many of the hard to treat cancers of today.
With genetic engineering it is theoretically possible to prevent cancer before it begins. However, even without moving this far into the future, the improper chromosomal translocation can provide a sort of name-tagging of the cancer cell. With the cancer cells identified, it can guide modalities aimed at destroying diseased tissue while sparing healthy tissue.
Sarcoma is an under-researched cancer whose research can help to elevate cancer treatment, as a whole. Not only would breakthroughs save the lives of countless children, it could also advance medicine, as a whole. By bringing awareness to sarcoma and the potential development its research can spark, this potential can become a reality.
Soft tissue sarcomas may develop in any tissue that connects, supports or surrounds other structures and organs in the body. Some examples of where soft tissues sarcomas can develop are muscles, fascia (the tough membrane that surrounds muscles), tendons, fat, blood vessels, nerves and synovial tissues (connective tissue that makes up the membranes surrounding joints).
Soft tissue sarcomas are rare in adults, accounting for less than 1 percent of all new cases of cancer. The American Cancer Society reports that about 12,750 new cases of soft tissue sarcoma will be diagnosed in 2019 (7,240 cases in males and 5,510 cases in females). Sarcomas can be found almost anywhere in the body.
According to the National Cancer Institute, about 50 percent of soft tissue sarcoma cases occur in the extremities (arms and legs), 40 percent occur in the trunk (back and chest), and 10 percent occur in the head and neck.
The American Cancer Society states the following on causes of Sarcoma:
“Scientists don’t know exactly what causes most soft tissue sarcomas , but they have found some risk factors that can make a person more likely to develop these cancers. And research has shown that some of these risk factors affect the genes in cells in the soft tissues.
Researchers have made great progress in understanding how certain changes in DNA (pieces of genes) can cause normal cells to become cancer. DNA carries the instructions for nearly everything our cells do. We usually look like our parents because they are the source of our DNA. But DNA affects more than just the way we look.
The DNA is made of genes. Genes carry the recipes for making proteins, the molecules that control all cell functions. Some genes contain instructions for proteins that control when our cells grow and divide.
Cancers can be caused by DNA mutations (defects) that turn on oncogenes or turn off tumor suppressor genes.
Many family cancer syndromes have been found in which inherited DNA mutations cause a very high risk of developing breast, colon, kidney, eye, or other cancers. Some of these syndromes are also linked to an increased risk of developing soft tissue sarcomas.
DNA mutations in soft tissue sarcoma are common. But they’re usually acquired during life rather than having been inherited before birth. Acquired mutations may result from exposure to radiation or cancer-causing chemicals. In most sarcomas, they occur for no apparent reason.
Researchers still don’t know why most soft tissue sarcomas develop in people who have no apparent risk factors.”
“Brain injuries, encompassing traumatic brain injuries (TBI) from external forces and acquired brain injuries (ABI) resulting from internal factors, can drastically alter lives in an instant. The consequences of these injuries ripple through every aspect of an individual’s life, affecting their physical abilities, cognitive functions, emotional well-being, and social relationships. National Brain Injury Awareness Month, this past March, aimed to shed light on these challenges while fostering a supportive community for those affected. Their focus was more directed on “More Than My Injury,” aiming to humanize the experience of those living with brain injuries.”
Desert Clover Psychiatry (https://www.desertclover.com/blog/beyond-the-injury-empowering-lives-during-national-brain-injury)
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is sudden damage to the brain caused by a blow or jolt to the head. Common causes include car or motorcycle crashes, falls, sports injuries, and assaults. Injuries can range from mild concussions to severe permanent brain damage. While treatment for mild TBI may include rest and medication, severe TBI may require intensive care and life-saving surgery. Those who survive a brain injury can face lasting effects in their physical and mental abilities as well as emotions and personality. Most people who suffer moderate to severe TBI will need rehabilitation to recover and relearn skills.
TBI is an injury to the brain caused by a blow or jolt to the head from blunt or penetrating trauma. The injury that occurs at the moment of impact is known as the primary injury. Primary injuries can involve a specific lobe of the brain or can involve the entire brain. Sometimes the skull may be fractured, but not always. During the impact of an accident, the brain crashes back and forth inside the skull causing bruising, bleeding, and tearing of nerve fibers (Fig. 1). Immediately after the accident the person may be confused, not remember what happened, have blurry vision and dizziness, or lose consciousness. At first the person may appear fine, but their condition can decline rapidly. After the initial impact occurs, the brain undergoes a delayed trauma – it swells – pushing itself against the skull and reducing the flow of oxygen-rich blood. This is called secondary injury, which is often more damaging than the primary injury.
Figure 1. During impact to the head, the soft brain crashes back and forth against the inside of the hard skull causing bruising, bleeding, and shearing of the brain.
Traumatic brain injuries are classified according to the severity and mechanism of injury:
- Mild: person is awake; eyes open. Symptoms can include confusion, disorientation, memory loss, headache, and brief loss of consciousness.
- Moderate: person is lethargic; eyes open to stimulation. Loss of consciousness lasting 20 minutes to 6 hours. Some brain swelling or bleeding causing sleepiness, but still arousable.
- Severe: person is unconscious; eyes do not open, even with stimulation. Loss of consciousness lasting more than 6 hours.
- Concussion is a mild head injury that can cause a brief loss of consciousness and usually does not cause permanent brain injury.
- Contusion is a bruise to a specific area of the brain caused by an impact to the head; also called coup or contrecoup injuries. In coup injuries, the brain is injured directly under the area of impact, while in contrecoup injuries it is injured on the side opposite the impact.
- Diffuse axonal injury (DAI) is a shearing and stretching of the nerve cells at the cellular level. It occurs when the brain quickly moves back and forth inside the skull, tearing and damaging the nerve axons. Axons connect one nerve cell to another throughout the brain, like telephone wires. Widespread axonal injury disrupts the brain’s normal transmission of information and can result in substantial changes in a person’s wakefulness.
- Traumatic Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (tSAH) is bleeding into the space that surrounds the brain. This space is normally filled with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which acts as a floating cushion to protect the brain. Traumatic SAH occurs when small arteries tear during the initial injury. The blood spreads over the surface of the brain causing widespread effects.
- Hematoma is a blood clot that forms when a blood vessel ruptures. Blood that escapes the normal bloodstream starts to thicken and clot. Clotting is the body’s natural way to stop the bleeding. A hematoma may be small or it may grow large and compress the brain. Symptoms vary depending on the location of the clot. A clot that forms between the skull and the dura lining of the brain is called an epidural hematoma. A clot that forms between the brain and the dura is called a subdural hematoma. A clot that forms deep within the brain tissue itself is called an intracerebral hematoma. Over time the body reabsorbs the clot. Sometimes surgery is performed to remove large clots.
Although described as individual injuries, a person who has suffered a TBI is more likely to have a combination of injuries, each of which may have a different level of severity. This makes answering questions like “what part of the brain is hurt?” difficult, as more than one area is usually involved.
Secondary brain injury occurs as a result of the body’s inflammatory response to the primary injury. Extra fluid and nutrients accumulate in an attempt to heal the injury. In other areas of the body, this is a good and expected result that helps the body heal. However, brain inflammation can be dangerous because the rigid skull limits the space available for the extra fluid and nutrients. Brain swelling increases pressure within the head, which causes injury to parts of the brain that were not initially injured. The swelling happens gradually and can occur up to 5 days after the injury.
Depending on the type and location of the injury, the person’s symptoms may include:
- Loss of consciousness
- Confusion and disorientation
- Memory loss / amnesia
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Visual problems
- Poor attention / concentration
- Sleep disturbances
- Dizziness / loss of balance
- Irritability / emotional disturbances
- Feelings of depression
- Seizures
- Vomiting
Diffuse injuries (such as a concussion or diffuse axonal injury) will typically cause an overall decreased level of consciousness. Whereas, focal injuries (such as an ICH or a contusion) will have symptoms based on the brain area affected (Fig. 2).
Lobes of the brain that can get affected by TBI:
Figure 2. The brain is composed of three parts: the brainstem, cerebellum, and cerebrum, which is divided into lobes. The table lists the lobes of the brain and their normal functions as well as problems that may occur when injured. While an injury may occur in a specific area, it is important to understand that the brain functions as a whole by interrelating its component parts.
Every patient is unique and some injuries can involve more than one area or a partial section, making it difficult to predict which specific symptoms the patient will experience.
“Your brain is one of the most critical parts of your body. It helps you think, feel, and move. But what happens when your brain gets hurt? Scientists have found that brain injuries can sometimes lead to brain diseases later in life.
A brain disease is a condition that affects the brain’s functioning over time. Brain diseases can make it harder to think, move, or remember things as one ages.
After an injury, the brain becomes inflamed. If inflammation lasts too long, it can damage brain cells and increase the risk of brain diseases.”
Dementia Society of America (How Brain Injuries Can Lead to Brain Diseases)
An acquired brain injury (ABI) is an injury to the brain that is not hereditary, congenital, degenerative, or induced by birth trauma. Essentially, this type of brain injury is one that has occurred after birth. The injury results in a change to the brain’s neuronal activity, which affects the physical integrity, metabolic activity, or functional ability of nerve cells in the brain.
There are two types of acquired brain injury: traumatic and non-traumatic.
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is defined as an alteration in brain function, or other evidence of brain pathology, caused by an external force. Traumatic impact injuries can be defined as closed (or non-penetrating) or open (penetrating).
Often referred to as an acquired brain injury, a non-traumatic brain injury causes damage to the brain by internal factors, such as a lack of oxygen, exposure to toxins, pressure from a tumor, etc.
A Brain Injury is damage to the brain that results in a loss of function such as mobility or feeling.
Traumatic Brain Injuries can result from a closed head injury or a penetrating head injury.
Penetrating Injury: A penetrating injury occurs when an object pierces the skull and enters brain tissue. As the first line of defense, the skull is particularly vulnerable to injury. Skull fractures occur when the bone of the skull cracks or breaks. A depressed skull fracture occurs when pieces of the broken skull press into the tissue of the brain. A penetrating skull fracture occurs when something pierces the skull, such as a bullet, leaving a distinct and localized injury to brain tissue. Skull fractures can cause cerebral contusion.
Brain trauma occurs when a person has an injury to the brain, and can be mild or severe. When a person sustains trauma to the brain, he or she may lose motor functions along with cognitive and physical abilities. Physicians use the Glasgow Coma Scale to determine the extent of brain trauma. This is a neurological scale that measures the level of a person’s consciousness. The Rancho Los Amigos Scale is used to monitor the recovery of the brain.
1-Traumatic brain injury occurs from external force on the head or neck. These injuries can occur from blows to the head or aggressive twisting of the neck. Some ways this could happen include falls, motor vehicle accidents, sports, and vigorous shaking. In infants, Shaken Baby Syndrome is a type of traumatic brain injury.
2-An acquired brain injury means simply you got this injury after you were born and it was caused by a condition or illness after birth. This type of injury can result from several different causes like strokes, toxic poisoning or brain tumors. Degenerative diseases and lack of oxygen may also cause this type of brain trauma. Here are some examples of acquired brain injuries:
-Bleeding in the brain which can lead to brain injury. Blood Vessels in the brain can rupture resulting in an intra-cerebral hemorrhagic (one of the causes of a stroke, its what we called Hemorrhagic Stroke). Symptoms may include headaches, loss of vision, weakness to one side of the body and eye pain to even garbled speech.
-Anoxia is another insult to the brain that can cause injury. Anoxia is a condition in which there is an absence of oxygen supply to an organ’s tissues, even if there is adequate blood flow to the tissue. Common causes of anoxia are near drowning, choking, suffocation, strangulation, heart attacks, lung damage, or very low blood pressure. They all decrease oxygen intake to the red blood cells that feed the organs nutrients (being oxygen) to our body. Anoxia is starvation to our body tissues.
Hypoxia refers to a decrease in oxygen supply rather than a complete absence of oxygen, and ischemia is inadequate blood supply, as is seen in cases in which the brain swells that causes compressing on the brain vessels near where the swelling is. In any of these cases, without adequate oxygen, a biochemical cascade called the ischemic cascade is unleashed, and the cells of the brain can die within several minutes. This type of injury is often seen in near-drowning victims, in heart attack patients, or in people who suffer significant blood loss from other injuries that decrease blood flow to the brain.
This occurs due to poisoning from chemical or biological factors that can damage the brain. Toxemia can be caused by drugs, chemicals, gases or even toxic foods.
*Meningitis is a inflammation of the lining around the brain or spinal cord, usually due to infection; Neck stiffness, headache, fever, and confusion are common symptoms.
*Encephalitis (en-sef-uh-LIE-tis) is inflammation of the brain. Viral infections are the most common cause of the condition. Encephalitis can cause flu-like symptoms, such as a fever or severe headache. It can also cause confused thinking, seizures, or problems with senses or movement.
*HIV can lead to brain injury. HIV, can affect the brain in different ways. HIV-meningoencephalitis is infection of the brain and the lining of the brain by the HIV virus. It occurs shortly after the person is first infected with HIV and may cause headache, neck stiffness, drowsiness, confusion and/or seizures. HIV-encephalopathy (HIV-associated dementia) is the result of damage to the brain by longstanding HIV infection. It is a form of dementia and occurs in advanced HIV infection. Mild Neurocognitive Disorder is problems with thinking and memory in HIV, however is not as severe as HIV-encephalopathy. Unlike HIV-encephalopathy it can occur early in HIV infection and is not a feature of Aquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome – AIDS.
*Lastly, Herpes. There are two types of herpes simplex virus (HSV). Either type can cause encephalitis. HSV type 1 (HSV-1) is usually responsible for cold sores or fever blisters around your mouth, and HSV type 2 (HSV-2) commonly causes genital herpes. Encephalitis caused by HSV-1 is rare, but it has the potential to cause significant brain damage or death.
*Other herpes viruses. Other herpes viruses that may cause encephalitis include the Epstein-Barr virus, which commonly causes infectious mononucleosis, and the varicella-zoster virus, which commonly causes chickenpox and shingles.*Viral infections due to blood sucking insects like mosquitoes and ticks to animals with rabies a rapid progression to encephalitis once symptoms begin. Rabies is a rare cause of encephalitis in the U.S.
Rehabilitation programs may vary depending on the type of brain injury and estimated recovery time. Treatment usually consists of physical therapy and daily activities. In extreme cases, patients may need to learn how to read and write again.
Therapy for brain trauma typically takes place on an outpatient basis or through an assisted living facility. Therapy may last several weeks, months or even years, and sometimes the patient is not able to make a full recovery.
It may not always be obvious when a person has sustained a brain injury. The patient may have hit his or her head and not have symptoms until a few hours later. Some signs of a possible brain injury are headaches, confusion and loss of memory. If brain trauma is not treated, it could cause permanent damage or death.
Brain injuries can affect the patient and the patient’s family, with emotional and financial hardship. When problems arise with treatment or financial issues, a brain injury lawyer or specialist may need to intervene.
REVISED 7/13/2026 By Elizabeth Lynch RN BSN Cardiac/Stroke Certified (RN 40 Years)
“Cleft and craniofacial conditions are abnormalities in the structure of the face or head that occur before birth. These conditions can range from cleft lip and cleft palate to more complex craniofacial syndromes.
These conditions may involve the bones, muscles, or soft tissues of the face and head. Examples include craniosynostosis (premature fusion of skull bones) and facial asymmetry.”
ENT and Allergy Associates (National Cleft & Craniofacial Awareness & Prevention Month)
Health care providers are encouraged to provide women to plan for pregnancy; avoid harmful substances, like tobacco (2) and alcohol (3); and choose a healthy lifestyle, like eating a healthy diet (4), to increase their chances of a healthy pregnancy. Health care providers also discuss with women any medications they might be taking, both prescription and over-the-counter, to ensure they are taking only what is necessary. If yours is not maybe you need a new one. Prevention is the key to giving highier odds the baby will be healthier when born. Re-enforcement is a great tool and that’s where the medical profession comes into play with pregnant women who is their clientele.
Know that not all birth defects can be prevented. But, we also know that women can increase their chances of having a healthy baby by managing health conditions and adopting healthy behaviors before becoming pregnant. Make a commitment to yourself, to get healthy before and during pregnancy by actively trying to plan ahead, avoid harmful substances, choose a healthy lifestyle, and talk with your healthcare provider. There are some that can be prevented.
Tips in Prevention:
Get 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day. Folic acid is a B vitamin. If a woman has enough folic acid in her body at least one month before and during pregnancy, it can help prevent major birth defects of the developing brain and spine defects like anencephaly or spina bifida. Anencephaly is a serious birth defect in which a baby is born without parts of the brain and skull. It is a type of neural tube defect (NTD). As the neural tube forms and closes, it helps form the baby’s brain and skull (upper part of the neural tube), spinal cord, and back bones (lower part of the neural tube). Spina bifida is a condition that affects the spine and is usually apparent at birth. It is a type of neural tube defect (NTD). Spina bifida can happen anywhere along the spine if the neural tube does not close all the way. The backbone that protects the spinal cord does not form and close as it should. This often results in damage to the spinal cord and nerves. Spina bifida might cause physical and intellectual disabilities that range from mild to severe. The severity depends on:
A woman who is obese (a Body Mass Index of 30 or higher) before pregnancy is at a higher risk for complications during pregnancy. Obesity also increases a pregnant woman’s risk of several serious birth defects. Even if a woman is not actively planning a pregnancy, getting healthy can help boost her health and her mood. If a woman is overweight or obese, she should talk with her doctor about ways to reach a healthy weight before she gets pregnant.
Most vaccinations are safe during pregnancy and some vaccinations, such as the flu vaccine and the Tdap vaccine (adult tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis vaccine), are specifically recommended during pregnancy. Some vaccines protect women against infections that can cause birth defects. Having the right vaccinations at the right time can help keep a woman and her baby healthy. She should talk to her doctor about which vaccines are recommended for her during pregnancy.
“Here are five key facts about clefts and craniofacial conditions, their impact and treatments:
“Cleft and craniofacial conditions affect thousands of infants, children, teens and adults in the United States each year. Some are born with congenital anomalies like cleft lip and palate, others with more complex, life-threatening craniofacial conditions. Some are burned; others are injured in accidents and animal attacks, or diagnosed with various oral/head/neck and skin diseases.”
Ameriface / The cleft and craniofacial advocates (http://www.ameriface.org/nccapm.html)
National Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness and Prevention Month is observed in July. This is an opportunity to raise awareness and improve understanding of orofacial clefts, clefts of the lip and palate, and other conditions of the head and face. In the United States, approximately 2,600 babies are born with a cleft palate and 4,400 babies are born with a cleft lip, with or without a cleft palate each year. There are other craniofacial birth defects including craniosynostosis (skull sutures fusing prematurely), anotia/microtia (ear is missing or underdeveloped), and anophthalmia/microphthalmia (missing or abnormally small eye).
There are several forms of cleft lip and palate, and each one requires a slightly different treatment. The three types of cleft lip and palate are
We’re not sure what causes cleft lip and cleft palate. They may be caused by a combination of factors, like genes and things in your everyday life, like certain medicines you take. Risk factors include:
Cleft lip and palate can cause problems with speech, eating, hearing, and social development. Most of the time, cleft lip and palate can be easily treated with corrective surgery, allowing children born with the condition to live normal lives. However, in some cases – particularly in developing countries where access to medical care is not as widely available – children do not receive treatment. This can result in further problems as the child grows.
July is National Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness and Prevention Month.
Cleft lip and cleft palate happen when a baby’s lip or mouth doesn’t form completely during pregnancy. Cleft lip is an opening in a baby’s upper lip. Cleft palate is an opening in the roof of a baby’s mouth. Cleft lip and cleft palate are birth defects. These conditions affect thousands of babies, children, teens and adults in the United States each year.
Cleft lip and palate happen very early in pregnancy. Your baby’s lips form between 4 and 7 weeks of pregnancy, and the palate forms between 6 and 9 weeks of pregnancy. Cleft lip and palate don’t have to happen together — a baby can have one without the other.