In terms of coverage, sarcomas can start in which type of tissue?

Sarcomas are a group of cancers that originate from mesenchymal tissue, which is a type of connective or supportive tissue in the body. This category includes a variety of tissues such as bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, and blood vessels. The defining characteristic of sarcoma is that they arise from tissues that provide structural and functional support to other tissues and organs, distinguishing them from carcinomas, which originate from epithelial cells.

Connective tissues play a vital role in the body, providing support, binding other tissues together, and aiding in the transportation of substances. Since sarcomas specifically arise from these types of tissues, the choice highlighting "connective or supportive tissue" accurately captures the origin of these malignancies.

Muscle tissue can give rise to a specific type of sarcoma (rhabdomyosarcoma), but it is not the broad category under which all sarcomas fall. Similarly, nervous tissue and epithelium are not tissues from which sarcomas arise; they are typically associated with other cancer types (e.g., gliomas arise from nervous tissue and carcinomas arise from epithelial tissues). Thus, the focus on connective or supportive tissue firmly identifies the appropriate classification of sarcomas.