Head and neck sarcoma

This page explains head and neck sarcoma. It includes information about symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and where to get support.

What is head and neck sarcoma?

Head and neck sarcomas are a group of rare cancers that develop in the head and neck. Sarcomas start in bone or soft tissue. Soft tissues include muscle, fat, nerves, blood vessels and other tissues that support the body.

The head and neck includes:

• the mouth
• the jaw
• the throat
• the nose and sinuses
• the eyes
• the ears
• the neck.

These areas help you:

• breathe
• eat
• swallow
• speak
• hear
• see.

Types of head and neck sarcoma

There are many different types of head and neck sarcoma.

Some of the more common types include:

• Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS)
• Leiomyosarcoma
• Angiosarcoma
• Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour (MPNST)
• Osteosarcoma
• Chondrosarcoma
• Rhabdomyosarcoma

Your doctor will explain which type you have. You can find out more about different types of sarcoma on our sarcoma subtypes page.

Who gets head and neck sarcoma?

Head and neck sarcoma can happen at any age.

Some types are more common in children and young people, while others are more common in adults.

What causes head and neck sarcoma?

Doctors do not know exactly why most head and neck sarcomas develop.

Most sarcomas happen because of changes in cell DNA. DNA contains the instructions that tell cells how to work. These changes usually happen by chance and are not inherited (passed down) from your parents.

A small number of people have an inherited condition that makes them more likely to develop sarcoma. Your doctor will explain if this applies to you.

Some people develop a head and neck sarcoma many years after having radiotherapy for another cancer. This is called a radiotherapy-associated sarcoma.

Symptoms of head and neck sarcoma

The symptoms of head and neck sarcoma depend on which part of the head and neck the tumour starts in.

People often notice:

• a lump or swelling in the head or neck
• a lump that gets bigger or changes
• pain or discomfort in the head or neck
• difficulty moving the jaw, face or neck
• difficulty swallowing
• changes to your voice
• hearing problems
• a blocked nose or sinus problems that do not get better
• changes to your vision
• bleeding from your nose.

Diagnosing head and neck sarcoma

If you have symptoms that could be head and neck sarcoma, your GP will examine you and may refer you to a specialist team. The specialist team will use different scans and tests to see if you have sarcoma.

You might have one or more of these tests:

• Ultrasound: uses sound waves to produce a picture of your neck and lymph nodes on a screen.
• MRI scan: uses magnets to create an image of the tissue in the body.
• Core needle biopsy: a small sample of bone or soft tissue taken with a needle.
• CT scan: a computed tomography (CT) scan uses X-rays to make a 3D image of the inside of your body.
• PET-CT scan: combines a CT scan with a positron emission tomography (PET) scan. A small amount of radioactive material is injected into a vein before the scan. It can help show where the cancer is in the body and if it has spread.
• X-ray: uses X-radiation to take images of dense tissues inside the body, such as bones or tumours.

We have more information about the different types of scans and tests you might have.

If you are diagnosed with head and neck sarcoma, your care will usually be planned by a sarcoma multidisciplinary team (MDT) working together with a head and neck MDT.

These teams include healthcare professionals who are experts in diagnosing and treating sarcoma and head and neck cancers.

You may also see a speech and language therapist (SLT), who can support you if you have difficulties with speech, eating, drinking or swallowing following surgery or other treatment.

Together, they will recommend the treatment that is right for you.

After treatment

After your treatment for sarcoma is finished, you will have follow-up appointments for several years. This is where your doctor can look for signs of sarcoma coming back.

During follow-up, you will have:

• a chance to discuss symptoms
• examinations to look for any signs of sarcoma returning
• imaging scans such as a CT or MRI
• chest X-rays to check whether the cancer has spread to the lungs
• a chance to talk about how you’re feeling and any worries you have.

We know that some people can feel uncertain and overwhelmed when treatment finishes, and that is completely normal. We have more information about living with and beyond sarcoma.

Recurrence

Sarcoma can sometimes come back in the same area after treatment. This is called a local recurrence.

Sometimes sarcoma can spread to other parts of the body. This is called secondary cancer or metastasis. The lungs are the most common place for sarcoma to spread. As part of your follow-up care, you may have chest X-rays or other scans. These help your team check for signs of sarcoma coming back or spreading.

If the cancer does come back or spread, your specialist team may offer more treatment. This may include chemotherapy, surgery, or radiotherapy. Your team will plan your treatment based on your individual situation.

Your doctor or specialist nurse can explain which changes to check for between appointments.

It’s normal to feel worried that sarcoma might come back after treatment. Many people feel this way. If you’re feeling anxious, speak to your healthcare team. They can reassure you, answer your questions, and help you find support.

We have more information about if sarcoma comes back.