Sarcomas are rare cancers arising from bone, muscle, fat, blood vessels, or other connective tissues. They account for about 1% of adult cancers and 15% of childhood cancers. Treatment typically involves surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, though outcomes vary widely by subtype and stage.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing targeted drugs matched to specific genetic mutations, immunotherapies including checkpoint inhibitors and CAR T-cell therapies, and new chemotherapy combinations. Researchers are also studying radioligand therapy for certain subtypes and oncolytic viruses that infect and kill sarcoma cells while sparing normal tissue.
Targeted therapies
Drugs targeting mutations like TRK fusions, NTRK alterations, and specific gene amplifications are showing activity in sarcomas that harbor those changes. Larotrectinib and entrectinib gained FDA approval for TRK fusion-positive cancers including certain sarcomas.
Immunotherapy combinations
Checkpoint inhibitors showed limited single-agent activity in sarcoma, but trials are testing them combined with radiation, chemotherapy, or other immune drugs. Early results suggest some subtypes may respond better than others.
CAR T-cell therapy
Engineered T-cells targeting proteins like GD2 and HER2 are in trials for sarcomas expressing those markers. Synovial sarcoma trials are testing CAR T-cells against a protein called NY-ESO-1.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically depends on sarcoma subtype, stage, prior treatments, specific mutations or biomarkers, and whether the tumor can be biopsied or has measurable disease on scans.
What types of trials are currently open
- Targeted therapy trials — Testing drugs matched to genetic mutations found in tumor samples. Often requires biopsy and molecular testing before enrollment.
- Immunotherapy trials — Testing checkpoint inhibitors, CAR T-cells, cancer vaccines, or combinations aimed at helping the immune system attack sarcoma cells.
- Chemotherapy trials — Testing new chemotherapy drugs or combinations, often for people whose sarcoma has grown despite standard treatment.
- Radiation trials — Testing new radiation techniques, radioligand therapies, or radiation combined with drugs to improve local control or treat metastases.
- Surgery trials — Studies comparing surgical approaches or testing drugs given before or after surgery to reduce recurrence risk.
Recently added Sarcoma trials
A Multicenter Phase II Clinical Trial Evaluating 68Ga-HX01 Injection for PET/CT Imaging
soft tissue sarcoma
Zemetostat With Anlotinib in Patients With Recurrent/Metastatic Head and Neck Soft Tissue Sarcoma
This is a single-center, single-arm, prospective, Phase II clinical study designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of zemetostat combined with anlotinib in patients with head-and-neck soft-tissue sarcoma featuring SWI/SNF complex deficiency whose disease has progressed following standard-of-care therapy. Enrolled patients receive zemetostat plus anlotinib until discontinuation criteria are met. The specific dosing regimen is as follows: zemetostat 350 mg orally twice daily (bid po). The recommended dose of anlotinib is 12 mg once daily for 14 consecutive days, followed by a 7-day drug-free interval (2/1 schedule), constituting a 21-day treatment cycle. Doses should be taken at approximately the same time each day. If a patient vomits or misses a dose, no supplemental dose should be administered on that day; the subsequent scheduled dose should be taken as usual.
Find Sarcoma trials matched specifically to you
Answer 3 quick questions and we'll show you trials that fit your situation.