Bone and Soft Tissue Sarcoma

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Sylvester’s Alex’s Place

More than simply a treatment site for children with cancer and blood diseases, alex’s place is a space designed to empower our young patients and support their families.

Sarcoma is a type of cancer that affects the bones and soft tissue. It can develop anywhere in the body. Soft tissue sarcoma (STS), the most common type of sarcoma, starts in soft tissues such as the muscles, tendons, fat, blood vessels, or other supporting tissue. The most common types of soft tissue sarcomas that affect children include:

Ewing sarcoma: This rare cancerous tumor grows in bones or the soft tissue around bones like cartilage or the nerves. It usually affects people ages 10 to 20. About 200 children and young adults in the United States are affected by Ewing sarcoma every year.
Rhabdomyosarcoma: About seven weeks into the development of an embryo, cells called rhabdomyoblasts (which will eventually form skeletal muscles) begin to form. Rhabdomyosarcoma is much more common in children, although it sometimes occurs in adults.

Why Choose Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center?

Sylvester is an NCI-designated cancer center. The National Cancer Institute has reaffirmed us as South Florida’s only NCI-designated cancer center. We have been recognized for our scientific leadership, our commitment to training the next generation of cancer researchers and providers, as well as our engagement with the communities that we serve. For patients, this designation translates into greater access to leading-edge treatment options, including clinical trials that prioritize your specific cancer.

South Florida's only university-based pediatric transplant program. We serve children in South Florida, Latin America, and the Caribbean through our national affiliations. Your child has access to a wider base of donors and clinical trials involving stem cell transplant to increase chances of a successful transplant.

A multidisciplinary team approach. Your child’s care team includes pediatric cancer doctors, oncology nurses, nurse practitioners, social workers, nutritionists, pain management specialists, and other health care professionals to deliver complete care. We focus on minimizing side effects and improving your child’s quality of life during treatment.

Personalized recommendations. We keep you and your child’s goals in mind when developing screening and treatment schedules. Whether there’s a family history of particular cancers or you want to ensure your child’s health long term, you get personalized attention.

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Treatments

Bone and Cartilage Tumors
Surgery: When it is possible to remove a tumor, surgery can be combined with radiation, either before or after surgery.
Chemotherapy (Systemic Medical Therapy): Chemotherapy, followed by surgery, may be a treatment with or without radiation therapy (given after surgery).
Clinical Trials A clinical trial may involve targeted therapy, radiation therapy, and surgery with or without chemotherapy.
Soft Tissue Sarcomas
Surgery: If possible, surgery is performed to remove the soft tissue sarcoma. If the tumor is very large, radiation therapy or chemotherapy may be given first, to shrink the tumor and decrease the amount of tissue needing surgical removal.
Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy: This approach is a type of external radiation therapy (delivered from outside the body) using equipment that places your child in the same position for each radiation treatment. This helps limit damage to nearby healthy tissue.
Targeted Therapy: Targeted therapies are designed to attack the molecular changes that make cancer cells grow and spread. This approach causes less harm to healthy cells than chemotherapy or radiation.
Clinical Trials: Our researchers are studying gene therapy for recurring (cancer that has spread or can’t be removed) childhood synovial sarcoma. In this new approach, some of your child’s white blood cells are removed and changed in the lab. The altered cells are put back into their body to attack specific cancer cells.

Tests

MRI

Magnetic resonance imaging uses a magnet, radio waves, and a computer to make a series of detailed pictures of areas of the body, such as the chest, abdomen, arms, or legs.

Computed Tomography (CT or CAT) Scan

This diagnostic imaging procedure uses X-rays and computer technology to produce images of the body. The scans show detailed pictures of any part of the body, including the bones, muscles, fat, and organs.

Biopsy

A small sample of suspicious tissue is removed to find out the type of soft tissue sarcoma your child might have. Tissue samples are removed from the tumor, lymph nodes, and other areas that may have cancer cells. Biopsies are checked by a pathologist, who is a cellular expert..

Molecular Test

A molecular test checks for genes, proteins, or other molecules in a sample of tissue, blood, or other body fluid to help diagnose some types of cancer.

Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT–PCR) Test

This laboratory test studies cells in a sample of tissue to help us identify the type of tumor. Chemicals are used to look for changes in how genes are expressed in the sample tissue compared to healthy tissue.

Cytogenetic Analysis

This test examines cells under a microscope to look for changes in the chromosomes.

Immunocytochemistry

This lab technique uses antibodies to check for certain antigens (markers) in a sample of cells.

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy

The sentinel lymph node is the first lymph node the cancer is likely to spread. In this test, a radioactive substance or blue dye is injected into the body near the tumor. The first lymph node that takes in the dye or substance is surgically removed and examined in the lab. If cancer cells are seen in the lymph node, that lymph node is removed. If no cancer is seen, there is no need to take out more lymph nodes.

PET-CT Scan

This imaging test combines pictures from a PET (positron emission tomography) scan and a CT (positron emission tomography) scan using a single machine that creates a more detailed image. The scan helps find malignant tumor cells in the body, using a small amount of radioactive glucose (sugar) that’s injected into a vein. Malignant tumor cells take up more glucose than normal cells, so they appear brighter in the picture.

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