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Sarcomas

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Alveolar soft tissue sarcoma, Angiosarcoma, Chondrosarcoma, Chordoma, Desmoid fibromatosis, Dermato-fibro sarcoma, Endometrial stromal sarcoma, Epitheloid cell sarcoma, Fibrosarcoma, Hemangioperycytoma, Kaposi sarcoma, Clear cell sarcoma, Leiomyosarcoma, Liposarcoma, Pleomorphic sarcoma, Osteosarcoma, Rhabdomyosarcoma, Solitary fibrous tumor, Synovial sarcoma, Uterine sarcoma, Soft tissue tumor, Sarcoma

Sarcoma is a cancer that develops from transformed cells of mesenchymal origin. Sarcomas are of primary and are connective tissue tumors, and usually divided in two major groups – soft tissue sarcomas and bone sarcomas. Each group has multiple subtypes, and assigned as low, intermediate or high grade. 

Signs and symptoms of bone sarcomas include bone pain and swelling around the site of the tumor, while the signs and symptoms of soft tissue sarcomas varies, and often presents as lumps and nodules. Sarcomas are classified by their histological appearance, and this classification is important for determining the further path, and management of the disease. 

Sarcoma treatment is highly dependent on its histological appearance, as well as of stage of disease. Surgery is the most common form of treatment for most sarcoma types. Further treatment may include chemotherapy and/or a radiotherapy, and small molecule- or targeted therapy. The most modern method nowadays is the usage of immunotherapies. 

Umbrella concept

An umbrella concept considers all aspects of the patient’s medical history, other diagnosis, and general well-being, as well as the available diagnostic constellations and ongoing treatments. An umbrella concept does not rely on one therapeutic option or the other, it is highly considering a precision-based combination of therapies that are evaluated for each individual case.

The first diagnosis is usually made by diagnostic imaging. A PET-CT-, CT-, or MRI-Scan is performed, which helps to see whether and where tumor masses are located. It shows us whether the cancer has already spread to other tissues (metastasis). If a mass has been confirmed, it should be biopsied in order to determine the dignity of the tumor. A histopathological analysis can determine the exact (cell) type of the tumor. There are different types of tumors known, and each of them presents unique genetic characteristics. 

What most patients do not know is, that when the first examination on the biopsy has been performed (to determine the tumor type), the tissue is kept and stored at the histopathology department of the hospital, where the biopsy has been performed. This stored tissue material can be used for thorough (genetic) tissue analyses and in-depth sequencing. It is known that tumors show the accumulation of several genetic modifications, thus providing cancer cells with the selective growth advantage to initiate expansion. Now, sophisticated high-throughput technologies enable the identification of these mutated genes in cancers that can lead to a potent targeted therapy. 

It is crucial to perform a thorough broad-spectrum screening so that every patient has a chance to explore all possibilities of a targeted treatment, may it be in a private setting or a clinical trial elsewhere. So it is most important to first find a laboratory that looks for all markers and mutations, and second, to find an oncologist who is willing to work with you in the best (and targeted) way possible. 

Important: Our oncological team is happy to talk to you by phone to get a deeper understanding about your specific case, enabling to provide you with a provisional treatment plan and cost estimate. Our oncologists will provide you all the details on medications, therapeutics and treatments including underlying mechanism and side effects. After a physical examination and an in-depth discussion with you on-site, the definite treatment plan will be discussed. Please understand that complex medical processes as mentioned above can only be explained through a thorough consultation on-site.

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