Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma (ASPS) is a rare, but deadly cancer of soft tissue (such as muscle, nerves, or fat) that primarily strikes adolescents and young adults. ASPS is caused by a mutation in which two different chromosomes mispair and fuse to make a new cancer-causing gene. Because ASPS grows slowly and painlessly, patients often don’t notice anything until the tumor has already metastasized, leaving few treatment options and a high likelihood of mortality within 5 years.
