Cancer is a general term for over 200 subtypes of disease. There are about four common major types of cancer and the subtypes fall under these branches:
Four General Types of Cancer - all subtypes fall under these
1. Leukemia - general term for cancer in the blood. There are many subtypes that can affect all age groups. Examples: Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) , Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) , Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML).
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/leukemia
2. Lymphoma - general term for cancer in the lymphatic system. There are many subtypes that can affect all age groups. Examples: Hodgkin Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lymphoma
3. Carcinoma - general term for cancer that originates in organs within the body. Considered the most common type of cancer. Many, many subtypes. Some people feel that carcinoma is an interchangable word with cancer, but it is not.
More common in older adults. Examples: Breast cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, liver cancer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carcinoma
4. Sarcoma - general term for cancer in the muscles, tendons, cartiliage, bone, fat, and connective tissues within the body. A rare cancer that has many, many subtypes. More common in adolescents and young adults. Examples: Osteosarcoma, Rhabdomyosarcoma, Ewings sarcoma, Liposarcoma, Synovial sarcoma, Angiosarcoma, Desmoplastic small round cell tumor
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcoma
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/soft-tissue-sarcoma/
There are certainly others . . such as Brain Cancer or even some types of tumors which are a combination of carcinoma and sarcoma. But the above are the four most common types. All subtypes of cancer will generally fall under those four categories.
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/alphalist/a-d
Sarcoma is rare and that is one reason it is difficult to manage and 'cure'. But the best 'cure' is like any other type of cancer . . find it early and have it removed surgically. 100 percent resection of a sarcoma is probably the best chance at 'cure', however complete resection is rarely possible. For a patient with sarcoma the best chance for cure comes from choosing a sarcoma specialist at a major sarcoma center. Since many doctors have never seen a sarcoma during their practice . . sarcoma is rarely recognized and often mistreated. This wastes valuable time for the patient. So go to a sarcoma specialist . .they can set up a treatment plan that can be done by the local oncologist.
Sarcoma is an ugly disease and can often develop a resistance to treatment. Reoccurence can become common as the disease learns how to mutate. This is why a complete surgical resection is often the best way for 'cure'. Adjuvant chemotherapy is also used in hopes of killing off microscopic disease or shrinking the often huge tumors enough so that surgery is possible. Radiation can also be used on single tumors or in one location in hopes of killing microscopic disease or stopping the growth of the large tumors.
So, an individual cure is possible through a combination of treatments depending on the staging or grouping of the disease. Complete surgical resection. Targeted chemotherapy. Radiation. Not all these treatments are indicated for every type or stage of disease . . but can be used as single agents or in combinations depending on the situation.
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