Bone & Soft Tissue Cancers
Bone & Soft Tissue Cancer Care at UVM Cancer Center
Soft tissues, including muscle, fat, blood vessels and nerves, connect and support other body parts. Cancers that start in bones and soft tissues are called sarcomas; these are rare, complex cancers that can occur anywhere in the body.
At University of Vermont Health, you’ll find skilled specialists offering advanced sarcoma care, including treatment options for difficult-to-treat sarcomas, such as those located near the spinal cord, in the pelvic region or at the base of the skull.
Why Choose UVM Health?
Many of our experts have completed high-level sarcoma training at leading programs throughout the country. Our sarcoma team serves as a resource for patients and referring providers across the region, who often turn to us for our experience with these cancers.
As a leading sarcoma program in the region, we offer:
- Family genetic testing: Sarcomas can run in families. Your providers will perform a detailed evaluation of your family history and may recommend genetic testing to look for an inherited type of cancer.
- Long-term monitoring: Sarcomas can return after treatment, sometimes as many as 20 years later. We maintain your records in case you need additional treatment. We also provide routine follow-up screening so that we identify any new tumors early.
- Cross-institution collaboration: For very rare types of sarcomas or tumors that are challenging to manage, we collaborate with colleagues at premier cancer institutions across the country. Nurse navigators may arrange an outside evaluation to review your diagnosis and establish a treatment plan. After this consultation, we usually provide treatment within UVM Health.
- Convenience: Our network of providers gives you access to sarcoma care in clinic locations throughout Vermont and northern New York. We schedule appointments with multiple experts on the same day whenever possible to make your visits more efficient.
Types of Bone & Soft Tissue Cancer
Bone sarcomas can affect people of any age. Some types occur more often in children. The most common types of bone cancers we treat include:
- Chondrosarcoma: These slow-growing tumors usually affect adults.
- Ewing sarcoma: This aggressive cancer is more common in children and typically develops in the leg, pelvis, ribs or spine.
- Osteosarcoma: This type of bone cancer occurs in children and adults. In children, it tends to develop near the ends of the arm and leg bones.
We also treat cancer that has spread to the bones from other primary cancer locations (metastatic bone cancer).
Soft tissue sarcomas can affect both children and adults. There are more than 60 types, which vary widely. A few of the more common types include:
- Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs): These tumors form in the walls of the digestive system, typically in the small intestine and stomach.
- Liposarcoma: This sarcoma occurs in fatty tissue, often in the legs or trunk.
- Leiomyosarcoma: This type of cancer grows in smooth (involuntary) muscles, often in the uterus, gastrointestinal tract or blood vessels.
Bone & Soft Tissue Cancer Symptoms
Sarcomas typically do not cause symptoms in early stages. As a tumor grows, you may notice a lump or swelling, with or without pain.
Other symptoms depend on the tumor type and location. For example, a sign of bone cancer is a broken bone that occurs without significant injury. Soft tissue sarcomas in the digestive tract can cause a blockage or gastrointestinal bleeding.
Diagnosing Bone & Soft Tissue Cancer
At UVM Health, our specialists work together to quickly and accurately diagnose your condition so you can start treatment as soon as possible. Tests we use to diagnose bone and soft tissue sarcomas include:
- Medical imaging: Imaging tests, such as CT and MRI scans, help detect the size and location of a tumor.
- Biopsy: Our interventional radiologists use image guidance to insert a fine needle into the tumor and collect a tissue sample. A pathologist specialized in diagnosing sarcomas evaluates the tissue under a microscope to confirm the diagnosis.
Clinical Trials
The UVM Cancer Center supports more than 100 active clinical trials focused on prevention, screening, treatment, supportive care and survivorship.
Bone & Soft Tissue Cancer Treatment
Treatment strategies for bone and soft tissue cancers vary depending on their type and location. Your care may include one or more types of treatment. Our team works with you to explain their recommendations and help you understand your options. Throughout your cancer journey, our nurse navigators are by your side to coordinate appointments, answer questions and guide your care.
Surgery is often used to remove bone and soft tissue tumors and a wide margin of surrounding tissue. Achieving wide margins requires skill and experience, particularly when tumors sit next to organs, joints or other important structures.
When possible, our fellowship-trained sarcoma and orthopedic oncologic surgeons use limb-sparing surgical techniques to remove tumors while preserving function. The sarcoma team’s relationships with specialists across UVM Health, such as breast, lung and gastrointestinal surgeons, allow us to call in additional physicians with expertise in removing tumors from specific areas when necessary.
Many types of oral or intravenous (IV) medications are used to destroy cancer cells or slow their growth. Depending on the type of sarcoma, your care may include one or more medications, including:
- Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy drugs destroy cancer cells and are often used before surgery to shrink a tumor. Not all sarcomas respond to chemotherapy.
- Targeted therapy: Targeted therapy drugs bind to specific molecules on the surface of cancer cells and attack the cells. Your care team will select the appropriate targeted therapy medications for you based on tumor genetic testing.
Radiation therapy may be necessary after surgery to destroy any remaining cancer cells, or if cancer comes back after treatment. Our specialists deliver radiation therapy using leading-edge technologies like intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), which offers a high level of precision and protects healthy tissue.
Palliative care helps relieve persistent symptoms of cancer and treatment. Our palliative care specialists deliver advanced care, including radiation therapy, to reduce pain. They work with you to understand your values and preferences. These efforts help you and your family navigate important care decisions and plan for future medical needs.
Patient Resources
- National Comprehensive Cancer Network: Guidelines for Patients: Expert information presented in plain language with visuals, charts and definitions to empower people with cancer and caregivers to talk with their clinicians about the best treatment options.
- National Cancer Institute: Soft Tissue Sarcoma: Information about soft tissue sarcoma screening, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and research.
- National Cancer Institute: How to Read Your Pathology Report: How to read a pathology report after you've had a biopsy.
Locations Near You
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111 Colchester Avenue
Main Campus, East Pavilion, Level 3
Burlington, VT 05401-1473
75 Park Street
Elizabethtown, NY 12932
101 Adirondack Drive
Ticonderoga, NY 12883
111 Colchester Avenue
Main Campus, Main Pavillion, Level 2
Burlington, VT 05401
75 Beekman Street
Plattsburgh, NY 12901-1438
23 Fourth Street
Suite 1
Malone, NY 12953-1331
111 Colchester Avenue
Main Campus, Main Pavilion, Level 2
Burlington, VT 05401-1473
130 Fisher Road
Berlin, VT 05602-8132
23 Fourth Street
Suite 1 & 2
Malone, NY 12953-1331
76 McNeil Road
Suite 2
Waterbury Center, VT 05677-7162
