We often hear of sarcoma patients who have lumps and bumps that have been misdiagnosed by their doctor because they are not sufficiently aware of sarcomas and how they present in clinic.

A recent case that has been brought to our attention is as follows: -

“It all began with a lump growing on my forearm, which had been there since the summer of 1991, when I had a mosquito bite in Corfu. It was under the skin and the size and shape of a small pea and really nothing to be concerned about.

In the spring of 2022, I noticed that this lump was growing. It was now red, firm and occasionally painful. I was having a review at my GP so I asked the locum doctor to look at the lump.

His response was, “it's nothing” and “with the way things are with the NHS, they would not remove it, as it would be classed as cosmetic surgery.”

This patient went on to die from Clear Cell Sarcoma because it wasn’t diagnosed in a timely manner and by the time it was correctly identified it had metastasised and become very aggressive.

Please be aware of any lumps you may have on your body and, with Clear Cell Sarcoma, on your extremities; your legs, arms, hands and feet and don’t be coy about asking your GP if they are OK. Remember that your GP may only see one or two sarcomas in their lifetime so remind them to think about this possibility. If you are diagnosed with a sarcoma insist on being referred to a major sarcoma centre to see a sarcoma specialist.

EDWARD SHOWLER FOUNDATION