Bone and Soft Tissue Cancer Treatment Services
The Sarcoma Program at BIDMC has brought leading specialists together to provide innovative, multidisciplinary care for tumors of bone or soft tissue. We are internationally recognized for our expertise in limb-salvage reconstruction, following surgical removal of the tumor, and for our combined modality (surgery, radiation and chemotherapy) treatments. Our technique, proficiency and outcome for limb-sparing surgery, a highly specialized operation, are among the finest in the nation. Our orthopaedic oncology surgeons also partner with Boston Children's Hospital to perform limb-sparing surgery for children with sarcoma.
Musculoskeletal Imaging
The Department of Radiology at BIDMC provides acclaimed musculoskeletal diagnostic and image-guided interventional services to treat sarcoma. At BIDMC, our specialized musculoskeletal radiologists perform both the diagnostic studies (MRI, CT, PET/CT) and the image-guided musculoskeletal biopsies. This dual role enhances team communication and clinical care.
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Pathology
Pathologists are physicians who have special training and expertise in diagnosing disease from biopsies, blood samples and other body fluids. Our pathologists are internationally regarded for their expertise in all types of cancer and benign diseases. As part of our sarcoma team, they are especially skilled at assessing diagnosis from very small amounts of tumor material taken from needle biopsies.
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Radiation Oncology
Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays or particles to treat disease. High doses of radiation can kill cells or keep them from growing and dividing. Radiation therapy is a useful tool for treating cancer because cancer cells grow and divide more rapidly than many of the surrounding normal cells. Our state-of-the-art CyberKnife stereotactic radiosurgery system is precisely targeted radiation therapy, focused on the tumor site, with minimal exposure to surrounding healthy tissue. CyberKnife is highly effective in treating sarcoma because it delivers a very high dose of radiation, with pinpoint accuracy, to destroy cancerous tissue and spare normal tissue in hard to reach areas (near nerves and tendons, for instance). With CyberKnife, fewer treatments (visits) are necessary and there are fewer side effects.
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Medical Oncology
BIDMC has a specialized outpatient medical oncology unit for outpatient oncology evaluation and treatment, and a specialized inpatient medical oncology floor for inpatient oncology care.
Medical oncology uses chemotherapy and other medicines, such as hormones and biological therapy, to treat cancer. Chemotherapy — given by pill, needle injection into a muscle or vein, or via catheter into the tumor or organ — travels through the bloodstream to kill cancer cells.
Chemotherapy is almost always used to treat sarcoma in the bone, but not always effective for soft tissue sarcoma. It depends on the tumor type, your overall health, and whether or not the cancer has spread. In some cases, chemotherapy can delay tumor growth.
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Research and Clinical Trials
Clinical trials are research studies that are designed to find improved ways for treating cancer patients, based on the most updated information from around the country.
Each year, numerous BIDMC research faculty are:
- Recognized for far-ranging scientific achievement.
- Engaged in sarcoma clinical trials to bring research from the laboratory bench to the patient bedside.
- Awarded prominent and highly competitive research grants.
- Published in prestigious scientific and medical journals.
One of the orthopaedic-oncology related research studies currently underway is focused on the ability to predict and prevent bone fracture weakened by tumors. Another study hopes to create a library of cancer gene codes to help physicians understand, and arrest, tumor growth, and more effectively treat sarcoma. Physicians are also working on tumor vaccines that would target and kill tumor cells but spare normal, healthy cells.
