What is thigh cancer, the strange disease suffered by Javier Hidalgo, head of Pilares in CDMX?

Javier Hidalgo Ponce , head of the Pilares Community Education Subsystem of the Government of Mexico City, revealed on Monday, February 24, that he suffers from an aggressive and rare disease: thigh cancer .

According to the American Cancer Society, thigh cancer, better known as soft tissue sarcoma , is a rare type of cancer that begins as a multiplication of cells in the soft tissue of the body .

There are many types of soft tissue tumors, but not all are cancerous. According to the world's leading cancer-fighting organization, many soft tissue tumors are found that are benign , meaning they are not cancer.

However, these tumors cannot spread to other parts of the body. Some soft tissue tumors behave in ways that are somewhere between a cancerous tumor and a noncancerous tumor, resulting in intermediate soft tissues .

“When the word sarcoma is part of the name of a disease, it means that the tumor is malignant (cancerous). A sarcoma is a type of cancer that originates in tissues such as bones or muscles. Soft tissue sarcomas can originate in soft tissues, such as fatty, muscle, nerve, and fibrous tissues, as well as in blood vessels or deep skin tissues. They can be found anywhere in the body,” the article reads.

It should be noted that most sarcomas originate in the arms or legs. They can also be found in the trunk, head and neck area, internal organs, and the back area of ​​the abdominal cavity (known as the retroperitoneum); however, they are not common tumors .

Javier Hidalgo, former general director of the Mexico City Sports Institute, publicly shared his diagnosis through social media and said that he has a condition in his right thigh, in which he was found to have a high-grade sarcoma , that is, an aggressive but curable type of cancer .

“In November I had a lesion on my thigh, and they did tests on me, they did evaluations, yesterday they gave me the results and I want to tell you that it is a high-grade pleomorphic, undifferentiated sarcoma, which is a very aggressive cancer, it is curable and I think we are going to start treatment next week , because we are going to fight it, this is not going to defeat us at all,” he explained.

In a meeting with the members of the Pilares team, Javier explained that he will continue to lead the 300 Points of Innovation, Freedom, Art, Education and Knowledge (Pilares); however, due to his diagnosis, sometimes he will do so physically and other times remotely.

"What I want to ask you is that we move forward, that I will face this issue together with you, knowing that we are doing what we have to do," he said.

Hidalgo said that although cancer will make it difficult for him to participate in all the Pillars of Mexico City, he will seek to face his personal challenge , without giving up on the collective challenge.

“It is a personal circumstance that does involve a setback, that is something of nature, that will make it difficult for me to participate, because as I like, going to all the Pillars, to the meetings and everywhere. I want to do it, to face my personal challenge, but also without giving up on the collective challenge,” he concluded.