Orthopedic Surgery
Orthopedic surgeons are involved in the treatment of tumors arising in bone (generally osteogenic and Ewing sarcoma) and soft tissue sarcomas.
Soft Tissue Sarcomas
In extremity lesions where the patient presents with a soft tissue swelling and it is not known if the tumor is benign or malignant it is very important to:
- Perform an initial MR to assess extent of disease
- Perform a carefully planned incisional biopsy to make the pathological diagnosis
UNPLANNED EXCISIONAL BIOPSY SHOULD NEVER BE PERFORMED.
An unplanned excision doesn't remove all of the disease and generally leads to extensive contamination of the surrounding tissues.
Sometimes the only therapy available after unplanned surgical excision is radiation therapy (RT). This usually involves radiation to large amounts of normal tissue - leading to severe scarrring and long term morbidity.
Sometimes to ensure local control after unplanned excisional biopsy amputation may be necessary.
Bone Sarcomas
Please look at the surgical guidelines for management of:
