Synovial sarcoma

Overview

Synovial sarcoma is a rare type of cancer that tends to occur near large joints, mainly the knees. Synovial sarcoma usually affects young adults.

Synovial sarcoma begins as a growth of cells that can multiply quickly and destroy healthy tissue. The first symptom is usually swelling or a lump under the skin. The lump may or may not hurt.

Synovial sarcoma can occur almost anywhere in the body. The most common places are in the legs and arms.

Synovial sarcoma is a type of cancer called a soft tissue sarcoma. Soft tissue sarcoma happens in the body's connective tissues. There are many types of soft tissue sarcoma.

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of synovial sarcoma depend on where the cancer starts. Most people notice a painless lump or bump that slowly gets bigger. The lump usually starts near the knee or ankle, but it can appear on any part of the body.

Synovial sarcoma symptoms may include:

• A lump or bump under the skin that slowly gets bigger.
• Joint stiffness.
• Pain.
• Swelling.

Synovial sarcoma that happens in the head or neck can cause other symptoms. These may include:

• Problems breathing.
• Difficulty swallowing.
• Changes in the way the voice sounds.

When to see a doctor

Make an appointment with a doctor or other healthcare professional if you have any symptoms that don't go away and that worry you.

Causes

It's not clear what causes synovial sarcoma.

This kind of cancer forms when cells develop changes in their DNA. A cell's DNA holds the instructions that tell the cell what to do. In healthy cells, the DNA gives instructions to grow and multiply at a set rate. The instructions tell the cells to die at a set time. In cancer cells, the DNA changes give different instructions. The changes tell the cancer cells to make many more cells quickly. Cancer cells can keep living when healthy cells would die. This causes too many cells.

The cancer cells might form a mass called a tumor. The tumor can grow to invade and destroy healthy body tissue. In time, cancer cells can break away and spread to other parts of the body. When cancer spreads, it's called metastatic cancer.

Risk factors

Younger age is a risk factor for synovial sarcoma. This cancer happens most often in older children and young adults.

There is no way to prevent synovial sarcoma.

Living with synovial sarcoma?

Connect with others like you for support and answers to your questions in the Sarcoma support group on Mayo Clinic Connect, a patient community.

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