(i) Epidemiology of bone and soft-tissue sarcomas

Sarcomas are malignant tumours of connective tissue and account for around 1% of all the cancer diagnoses in the UK each year. Sarcomas can be categorized as being of either bone or soft tissue in origin and both categories consist of a wide variety of histological subtypes. Most sarcomas (about 55%) affect limbs, most frequently the leg; about 15% affect the head and neck area or are found externally on the trunk, while the remainder are internal and located in the retroperitoneum or abdomen. A number of environmental factors including radiation exposure, viral infection, occupation and chemical exposure have been linked to the development of sarcomas. A number of heritable conditions, including Li–Fraumeni syndrome, neurofibromatosis, retinoblastoma and Werner's syndrome, are associated with an increased risk of sarcoma development. This article reviews the epidemiology of bone and soft-tissue sarcomas and highlights its relevance with regard to sarcoma diagnosis and the potential development of new treatments.