What to Expect
If you or someone you know has recently been diagnosed with sarcoma, don't rush into a decision about treatment. In most cases, you have time to consider your options and get a second opinion--even a third opinion--to help you decide what kind of treatment is right for you.
Ask someone you trust to go with you to doctors' appointments and tests. This person can provide emotional support, and also help by taking notes, keeping track of questions you want to ask, and doing research on your disease and your treatment options.
All cancers are not the same. The treatment a friend or relative received may not be the best treatment for you.
Most people with sarcoma survive.
Where You Will Be Seen
The Sarcoma Service has two clinics--one for adults and one for children. The adult clinic is located on the fourth floor of the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA) outpatient clinic. The pediatric clinic is located at Children's Hospital & Regional Medical Center.
New Adult Patients
New adult patients are seen at the Sarcoma Clinic at SCCA. The clinic is coordinated by an oncology nurse and evaluates about 500 new patients per year.
Adult sarcoma patients receiving outpatient care (i.e., clinic visits, outpatient procedures, chemotherapy) will be treated at the SCCA clinic.
Some adult patients also go to the Bone and Joint Surgery Center at UW Medical Center's Roosevelt Clinic for rehabilitation services or treatment.
Adults who are hospitalized for all or part of their treatment for sarcoma will receive treatment at University of Washington Medical Center, an SCCA parent organization.
Referrals should be directed to the SCCA Patient Intake Office at (206) 288-SCCA (7222).
New Pediatric Patients
Children who are diagnosed with sarcoma are seen and will be treated at Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center, an SCCA parent organization, as inpatients or outpatients. The clinic is coordinated by an oncology nurse and evaluates about 250 new patients per year.
Pediatric referrals should be directed to the SCCA Patient Intake Office at (206) 288-SCCA (7222).
Your First Visit
Every adult sarcoma patient at SCCA has a personal team that includes an oncologist who specializes in treating sarcoma, sarcoma surgery staff, nurse case managers, and a radiation oncologist, if needed.
Before your first visit, the team will have reviewed your X-rays and any other scans or tests you have already had. If you do not live in or near Seattle, we may ask your referring doctor to arrange for additional tests or scans so that these results are available before your appointment at SCCA.
On your first visit to the Sarcoma Service, you will meet with your doctor, who will ask you questions about your medical history and your current problem. This will be followed by a physical exam.
Then you will sit down for a conference with your doctor and other members of your team to discuss a treatment plan. This visit usually lasts two to three hours. We recommend that you bring a friend or family member with you to your appointment for support as well as to take notes during the conversation.
Virtually all of our patients require surgery, and most are also treated with either chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or both. If you are from out-of-town, it may be possible for you to have your surgery in Seattle and have chemotherapy or radiation treatments closer to home.
Surgery for SCCA patients is performed at University of Washington Medical Center. Inpatient chemotherapy for SCCA patients is also done at UW Medical Center. Outpatient chemotherapy and radiation treatments are done at the SCCA clinic.
The treatment you will receive will depends on the grade of your cancer.
To read more about sarcoma treatment, click on the links below.