Treating Sarcoma at Southwest Florida Proton
A cancer that develops in the body’s connective tissues, sarcoma appears in the muscles, tendons, blood vessels, cartilage or bones. There are more than 70 subtypes of sarcoma that affect a person’s bones or soft tissues. There is an array of treatment options for sarcoma including:
- Surgery
- Proton therapy
- Immunotherapy
- Chemotherapy
- Standard X-ray radiation therapy
Whether or not proton treatment is right for you depends on the location and size of the tumor. Learn more about the cancer treatment services at Southwest Florida Proton Center and whether proton therapy is right for you.
Is Proton Therapy Right for Your Sarcoma?
Proton therapy may be an option for a variety types of soft tissue sarcomas, and it is beneficial in treating any sarcoma that occurs near sensitive areasor vital organs. This is because the proton beam is better able to spare non-target, nearby organs at risk. As a result, radiation oncologists can precisely target tumors in hard-to-reach areas, andthe impact on the surrounding tissue is minimized.
Proton radiation is particularly beneficial for patients with recurring cancers or those who are likely to need treatment several times over many years. Protecting healthy tissue is vital to reducing long-term side effects for these individuals. Other examples of sarcoma that may be treated with proton therapy:
- Chordoma
- Leiomyosarcoma
- Liposarcoma
- Myxoid liposarcoma
- Well differentiated liposarcoma
- Dedifferentiated liposarcoma
- Pleomorphic liposarcoma
- Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma
- Myxofibrosarcoma
- Fibrosarcoma
- Clear cell sarcoma
- Angiosarcoma
- Chondrosarcoma
- Osteosarcoma
- Spine sarcoma
- Ewing sarcoma
- Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor
- Rhabdomyosarcoma
- Synovial sarcoma
- Gastrointestinal stromal tumor
- And more
Proton Therapy for Childhood Sarcoma
In many cases, proton radiation therapy is a preferred treatment for pediatric patients with sarcoma and other conditions because of the potential for reduced short-term and long-term side effects. Compared to other treatments, precise proton beam treatment is less likely to impact a child’s growth and development, and also minimizes the risk for secondary tumors later in life.