What is the Difference Between Melanoma and Sarcoma

Melanoma and sarcoma are two different types of cancers that occur in the human body. Both these cancer types may have different aetiologies. But they can be commonly treated by chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

The key difference between melanoma and sarcoma is their location. Melanoma is a cancer that begins in the melanocytes of the skin while sarcoma is a cancer that begins in the bones and soft tissues of the body.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Melanoma 
3. What is Sarcoma
4. Similarities – Melanoma and Sarcoma
5. Melanoma vs Sarcoma in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Melanoma vs Sarcoma
7. FAQ – Melanoma and Sarcoma

What is Melanoma?

Melanoma is an invasive skin cancer. Melanoma begins from skin cells called melanocytes. Melanoma usually accounts for only about 1% of all skin cancers. The signs and symptoms of melanoma may include moles that change in colour, a mole that appears to get bigger, a mole that has an irregular shape, itching, and bleeding. Melanoma is caused by over-sun exposure, which leads to DNA damage in skin cells.

Melanoma is diagnosed through family history, physical examination, sentinel lymph node biopsy, CT scan, MRI scan, PET scan, and blood work. Furthermore, treatment options for melanoma may include surgery, lymphadenectomy, metastasectomy, targeted cancer therapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy.

What is Sarcoma?

Sarcoma is a cancer in the connective tissue cells that connect or support other tissues in the body. These tumors are more common in bones, muscles, tendons, cartilage, nerves, fat, and blood vessels of the arms and legs. But they can also occur in other areas of the body. The symptoms of sarcoma may include painless lumps, pain off and on in the affected bone, swelling that starts after pain, a limp in the legs, abdominal pain, and weight loss. Sarcoma is caused by DNA mutations in the bone cells and soft tissue cells.

Sarcoma is diagnosed through physical examination, biopsy, ultrasound, MRI scan, and bone scan. Furthermore, treatment options for sarcoma may include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and targeted drug therapy using man-made antibodies to block the growth of cancer cells while leaving normal cells undamaged.

Similarities Between Melanoma and Sarcoma

• Melanoma and sarcoma are two different types of cancers in the human body.
• Both are caused by DNA mutations in the cells.
• Both can be diagnosed through physical examination and imaging tests.
• They can be treated through surgery and specific therapies.

Difference Between Melanoma and Sarcoma

Definition

1. Melanoma is an invasive skin cancer that begins from skin cells called melanocytes.
2. Sarcoma is a cancer in the connective tissue cells in bones, muscles, tendons, cartilage, nerves, fat and blood vessels of the arms, legs and other areas of the body.

Causes

1. Melanoma is caused by over-sun exposure that leads to DNA damage in skin cells.
2. Sarcoma is caused by DNA mutations in the bone cells and soft tissue cells.

Signs and Symptoms

1. Melanomas are characterized by moles that change in colour, moles that appear to get bigger, moles with an irregular shape, itching, and bleeding.
2. Sarcomas are characterized by painless lumps, pain off and on in the affected bone, swelling starts after pain, a limp in the legs, abdominal pain, and weight loss.

Diagnosis

1. Melanoma can be diagnosed through family history, physical examination, sentinel lymph node biopsy, CT scan, MRI scan, PET scan, and blood work.
2. Sarcomas can be diagnosed through physical examination, biopsy, ultrasound, MRI scan, and bone scan.

Treatment

1. Melanoma can be treated with surgery, lymphadenectomy, metastasectomy, targeted cancer therapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy.
2. Sarcomas can be treated with surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and targeted drug therapy using man-made antibodies to block the growth of cancer cells while leaving normal cells undamaged.

The following table summarizes the difference between melanoma and sarcoma.

Summary – Melanoma vs Sarcoma

Melanoma and sarcoma are two different types of cancers in the human body. Melanoma is relatively common, while sarcoma is relatively uncommon. Moreover, melanoma is a cancer that arises in the cells that make pigment in the skin, whereas sarcoma is a cancer that arises in bones, muscles, fat, or cartilage. This is the summary of the difference between melanoma and sarcoma.

FAQ: Melanoma and Sarcoma

1. What are the signs and symptoms of melanoma?

• The signs and symptoms of melanoma cancer may include moles that change in colour, moles that appear to get bigger, moles with irregular shapes, itching, and bleeding.

2. Is melanoma curable?

• Because of the fast growth rate of melanomas, a delay in treatment may lead to a serious state. With proper diagnosis, melanomas have a 99% cure rate if caught in the earliest stages. The treatment options for melanomas include surgery, lymphadenectomy, metastasectomy, targeted cancer therapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy.

3. Is sarcoma a serious cancer?

• As sarcomas can develop and involve critical organs and major blood vessels, it is a serious cancer. For sarcoma that has spread, surgery is usually no longer feasible, and chemotherapy is prescribed.

4. What is the cause of sarcoma?

• Through extensive research, scientists have found cancers like sarcoma develop as a result of DNA mutations. Sarcoma is caused by DNA mutations in the bone cells and soft tissue cells.

5. Can sarcomas be cured?

• Stage IV sarcomas are rarely curable. But some patients may be cured if the main tumor and all of the areas of cancer spread can be removed by surgery. Furthermore, other treatment options for sarcoma include radiation, chemotherapy, and targeted drug therapy using man-made antibodies to block the growth of cancer cells while leaving normal cells undamaged.

Reference:

1. “Melanoma: Symptoms, Stages, Diagnosis, Treatment & Prevention.” Cleveland Clinic.
2. “Sarcoma Symptoms, Types, Causes, Treatments.” WebMD.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Melanoma” (Public Domain) via Picryl
2. “Clear cell sarcoma – high mag” By Nephron – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia