Surgery is the most common treatment for sarcoma, and it may be curative for some people. Chemotherapy, radiation therapy or both may be given before or after surgery to reduce the risk of the cancer coming back.
UW Medicine surgeons who provide care at both SCCA and University of Washington Medical Center perform surgery for our sarcoma patients. They perform more surgeries on adults with sarcoma than surgeons at any other cancer center in the Northwest.
We offer leading-edge options, including limb-sparing surgery, bone transplants and metallic implants, if you need them, and we use minimally invasive techniques, such as laparoscopic surgery (through small "keyhole" incisions), whenever possible.
The exact surgery you need will depend on many factors, including the location and size of your tumor. Your team will explain:
- The details of your procedure
- The benefits and risks
- How to prepare before surgery
- What to expect during your recovery and beyond
During surgery, intraoperative ultrasound helps our surgeons better delineate the borders of your tumor to more effectively remove the whole tumor while saving healthy structures nearby. After your surgery, your care team follows evidence-based guidelines to enhance your recovery ("early-recovery after surgery" protocols).
In some situations, a tumor cannot be removed surgically because of its size or location or how aggressive it is. In these cases, a multidisciplinary team can identify another course of treatment to control the sarcoma, reduce its size and relieve pain and other symptoms.
Learn more about surgical oncology.