Sarcoma

If you've been diagnosed with a sarcoma, we can help you make well-informed medical decisions and deal with the emotional stress of a cancer diagnosis. Our orthopedic oncologists' focus is first and foremost on you. We use the latest, evidence-based treatment options, including limb-preservation surgery techniques.

Symptoms of a sarcoma can include:

• A lump in the affected area
• Limping
• Pain or tenderness
• Swelling
• Unexplained broken bones

Your doctor will ask about your family and medical history and do a physical exam. You may need certain procedures and tests for your doctor to diagnose a sarcoma. These may include:

• Biopsy to collect a sample of tissue from the tumor to examine whether the tissue is cancerous
• Computerized tomography (CT) scans to evaluate whether the tumor has spread
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to create detailed images of the body
• Positron emission tomography (PET) to show whether cancer has spread to other parts of the body
• X-rays of the affected area to see the location, size and shape of the tumor

We decide how to treat sarcoma after carefully reviewing the type of cancer, if it has spread and your overall health. Treatment options often include surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

During cancer surgery, we remove the cancerous tissue using techniques such as limb-salvage or limb-preserving surgery or in rare cases, amputation. During limb-salvage surgery, we remove the cancerous bone and the affected muscle. We fill in the gap with a bone graft or a specially designed metal prosthesis. We sometimes recommend amputation to remove part of or the entire affected limb if the cancer has spread from the bone to the surrounding blood vessels.

Chemotherapy uses drugs or medications to destroy the cancer cells. You may need chemotherapy before or after surgery. Sometimes, we also use radiation therapy to destroy the cancer cells.

We’ll discuss the potential side effects of your treatment options so you can make an informed decision. We’ll also guide you through the recovery process and answer questions you may have.