Patient Education
What is orthopaedic oncology?
Orthopedic Oncology treats patients with suspected or diagnosed with tumors the bone and soft tissue, including bone metastases, sarcomas, benign and cancerous tumors of the bone or soft tissue, and pathologic fractures.
What is metastatic carcinoma to bone?
When some cancers spread, they metastasize to bone. Common types of cancers that do this include breast, prostate, lung, thyroid, and kidney (renal) carcinomas. However, other cancers can spread to bone as well, including melanoma, lymphoma, as well as others.
Patients who have metastatic carcinoma to bone may experience pain and may be at risk for bone fracture. Depending on the location and the size of the bony metastasis, patients may require treatment with medication, radiation, surgery, or a combination of the three.
What is a bone sarcoma?
A sarcoma is a rare type of tumor that can occur in the bone. Common types of bone sarcomas include osteosarcomas, Ewing's sarcomas, and chondrosarcomas.
Treatment for bone sarcoma depends on the specific diagnosis. Treatment for osteosarcoma typically consists of chemotherapy and surgery. Treatment for Ewing's sarcoma typically consists of chemotherapy and surgery +/- radiation therapy. Treatment for chondrosarcoma typically consists of surgery only. However, ultimately a patient's treatment regiment is personalized to their needs.
What is a soft tissue sarcoma?
Soft tissue sarcomas are rare types of tumors that can occur in the skin, muscle, fat, and joint tissues. An orthopaedic oncologist treats a soft tissue sarcoma when it occurs in the limbs, pelvis, or spine.
Soft tissue sarcoma treatment usually consists of radiation therapy followed by surgery. Some soft tissue sarcomas also require chemotherapy for treatment.
What is multiple myeloma?
Multiple myeloma is a rare form of cancer that affects the plasma cells in your bone marrow. It can cause multiple bone lesions to form throughout the skeleton. Treatment for multiple myeloma includes medication, and sometimes the addition or radiation therapy and/or surgery.