The lump or bump that's could be something more - raising awareness of sarcoma

Going through life, we all develop lumps and bumps on the body.

Most of the time, they are harmless.

But they can also signal a sarcoma, a rare cancer.

It was shocking news for the Flyers, their fans, and beyond: In 2019, outstanding 23-year-old forward Oskar Lindblom was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma.

What seemed like a bruise on his ribs was cancerous.

Six months after grueling chemotherapy and surgery, Lindblom was cancer-free, and he still is, five years later.

Oncologist Dr. Margaret von Mehren of Fox Chase Cancer Center says sarcomas are cancers of the bones or connective tissue.

"So what are connective tissues? They're things like your fat, your blood vessels, your nerves," says Dr. von Mehren.

There are 50 different subtypes of sarcomas, and unlike other cancers, they're not named for their location.

"They're really classified based on the type of cell that derives it," she notes.

Sarcomas can develop at any age, but the type varies by age.

Bone sarcomas are more common in children and young adults.

Liposarcomas are more common at middle age and older.

A family history of cancer at a young age raises the risk, as does previous radiation treatment.

"We do know that there is some information that suggests that pesticides may be associated with it," Dr. von Mehren says.

Such as the sarcomas Vietnam veterans developed after exposure to Agent Orange.

Dr. von Mehren says treatment is complex, and very specific, based on cell type, genetics, and whether the tumor is isolated or has traveled - most often, to the lungs

"I really work very closely with my surgical colleagues, my radiation oncology colleagues," she says.

The doctors says CAR-T cells engineered to target proteins on sarcomas are showing promise and could be a mainstay of future treatments.

For now, she urges everyone to get suspicious lumps checked.

"The most common thing would be a sort of a mass that's increasing in size, particularly if it's quickly and often if it's causing pain," Dr. von Mehren says.

Oskar Lindblom credits his girlfriend Alma Lindqvist with urging him to have the lump on his ribs checked. It may have saved his life.