Soft tissue and bone sarcomas

Sarcomas are a heterogeneous group of relatively rare neoplasms. The only established risk factors of soft tissue sarcomas, which represent 80% of all sarcomas, are ionizing radiation and alkylating agents used in chemotherapy. Extensive research on a possible etiologic role of dioxin, chlorophenoxy herbicides, and chlorophenols has not provided definite evidence of a causal association. A part from an effect of high-level exposure to ionizing radiation detected in historical studies of radiologists and radium-exposed workers, no occupational risk factors have been identified for bone sarcoma.