Novel Biochemical and Molecular Determinants for Soft Tissue Sarcoma

In this protocol, we plan to identify specific markers from biochemical, proteomic, epigenetic and molecular genetic analyses that predict clinical outcome, responsiveness to therapy and might serve as promising therapeutic targets in patients with soft tissue sarcoma.

Inclusion criteria

• All patients with known or suspected sarcoma who will have or have had tissue removed for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes.
• Patients will be entered without preference for any particular racial/ethnic group or gender.
• Patients may have received prior hormonal therapy, cytotoxic chemotherapy, irradiation, immunotherapy or surgical therapy.
• Tissue specimens must be large enough in quantity to allow routine pathologic analysis, with the research laboratory specimen removed from the residual specimen, which would otherwise be discarded. Optimal tissue amounts for snap freeze: Core biopsy - 2 tissue cores Incisional biopsy- 0.5 to 1.5 grams Resected sarcoma specimen- 1.0 to 50 grams depending on size of specimen Normal fat or muscle tissue - 0.5 to 4.0 grams (if available from resected sarcoma specimen) Optimal tissue amounts for RNA later Core biopsy - 2 tissue cores Incisional biopsy- 30 mg (three 3 x 3 x 3 mm cubes) Resected sarcoma specimen - 30 mg (three 3 x 3 x 3 mm cubes) Normal fat or muscle tissue - 30 mg (three 3 x 3 x 3 mm cube

Exclusion criteria

• None