THE CHALLENGE:
CLEAR CELL SARCOMA?

Sarcomas are a type of cancer that arises in connective tissue and bone. Clear Cell Sarcoma is a rare sub-type that can occur in soft tissue and the gastrointestinal tract.

Because of the rarity of Clear Cell Sarcoma, it has been little researched until recently compared with other cancers. As a consequence, less is known about the disease and there is no effective treatment.

Clear cell sarcoma is a rare cancer that grows from a tendon, usually in an arm or leg, and predominantly affects young adults from 20 to 40 years old. It often grows very slowly initially and so can be easily mistaken for other, more benign, lumps and bumps. However, even in this early stage the cancer very often spreads from the tendon it started in to other parts of the body, in particular to the lungs.

If a clear cell sarcoma is identified early on then it may be possible to cut it out with surgery or by amputation of the limb in which it is growing. However, if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, then it is no longer possible to cure the disease with surgery.

For other types of cancer that have spread throughout the body there are usually several different drugs that can be tried, including chemotherapies and immunotherapies. Unfortunately, clear cell sarcomas usually do not respond well to any of these treatments.

There remains a need for new and more effective treatments.