Getting Diagnosed with Sarcoma

If you have been diagnosed with or suspect you have sarcoma (bone cancer or connective tissue cancer), you may be worried about your prognosis. The UMass Memorial Health Cancer Center offers personalized, high quality care in patient-focused settings at four convenient locations: UMass Memorial Medical Center, UMass Memorial Health HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital, UMass Memorial Health Harrington and UMass Memorial Health Marlborough Hospital. 

We work on extensive cancer research and clinical trials with the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, so our patients have access to the latest diagnostic and treatment options. Our multidisciplinary care practitioners offer guidance on making decisions and provide the best cancer treatment plan possible.

We bring our bone tumor specialists together in a single setting (called tumor boards) to discuss complex cases and develop a thorough treatment plan for each patient. In most cases, you’ll only need a single appointment to meet with our team members one-on-one. Our team is available to answer your questions, discuss your concerns, and attend to your physical and emotional needs.

Bone and Soft Tissue Tumor Diagnosis

Timely, accurate diagnosis and staging is critical for effective cancer treatment. Our orthopedic oncology program offers all of the latest, most innovative diagnostic technologies, including:

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Computed tomography (CT)
• Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)
• Digital X-ray and other digital diagnostic imaging tests used to identify cancer
• Percutaneous image-guided and/or surgical biopsy
• Pathology lab services to examine tissue samples to determine the type of tumor

Bone and Soft Tissue Tumors We Treat

Our orthopedic oncology team has expertise in treating a wide variety of conditions that affect many parts of the body, including those that are extremely rare. This includes both benign (non-cancerous) and malignant (cancerous) tumors, such as:

• Benign bone and soft tissue tumors (tumor-like lesions)
• Tumor-like diseases (Paget’s disease, fibrous dysplasia, osteopetrosis)
• Malignant primary bone and soft tissue tumors (sarcomas) of the extremities, pelvis and sacrum
• Metastatic disease in the bone and soft tissues (cancers that spread from other parts of the body)

Bone and Soft Tissue Tumor Treatments We Provide

The expertise of our orthopedic oncologists is unmatched in Central Massachusetts. They work closely with an extensive team of cancer specialists, including experts in radiation therapy and chemotherapy, to provide state-of-the-art treatment options, including:

• Chemotherapy
• Computer assisted three-dimensional radiation therapy
• Head and neck cancer expertise
• Minimally invasive orthopedic surgical procedures to remove tumors
• Plastic and reconstructive surgery
• Postoperative physical therapy
• Surgical oncology

Additional Resources

We understand the physical and emotional effects of cancer and are committed to treating you and your family with compassion. That’s why we offer extensive support services at our Medical Center in Worcester and throughout the local community, including:

• Nutritional counseling
• Home care coordination
• Genetic testing and counseling
• Pain management
• Palliative care (quality-of-life care)
• Support groups
• An onsite American Cancer Society Resource Center