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.
