By the methods outlined above, the sarcoma is staged as being non-metastatic (localised) or metastatic. If localised, then the tumours less than 5 cm in diameter and confined to the tissue of origin or compartment of muscle/tissue from which they arise, have the best outlook for cure, particularly if they are of low histological grade. Thus the size, situation and histological grade all combine to give prognostically important information.
Staging from 1 (less than 5 cm diameter, low histological grade and no metastases) to 4 (metastatic disease) are recognised with diminishing survival expectations as the stage increases: 90% for stage 1 to 20% for stage 4.
