Final answer:
Red flags for malignancy or soft tissue sarcoma (STS) include persistent lumps, unusual bleeding, pain, and systemic symptoms like fatigue and weight loss, which warrant further medical investigation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Red flags that may suggest malignancy or soft tissue sarcoma (STS) include persistent and unusual lumps or swelling, which can indicate a tumor. Patients might also experience inexplicable hemorrhage (bleeding), persistent pain, and even ulceration of the skin over the tumor. Other concerning symptoms include enlarged lymph nodes, coughing paired with hemoptysis (coughing up blood), hepatomegaly (enlargement of the liver), bone pain, unexpected fractures, and various neurological symptoms.
Systemic symptoms such as unexplained weight loss, poor appetite, fatigue, and cachexia (severe muscle and fat loss), as well as excessive sweating (especially night sweats), anemia, and the presence of paraneoplastic phenomena (a collection of symptoms that result from substances produced by a tumor), also warrant further investigation for possible malignancy.