Sarcoma Treatment and Support

Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center’s world-renowned team will help find the best treatment options for you after your sarcoma diagnosis.

What Are My Sarcoma Treatment Options?

Treatment for sarcoma is determined based on the size, type, and location of your tumor. The following are a few of the sarcoma treatment options available at Banner MD Anderson.

• Surgery to remove the cancer and some of the surrounding healthy tissue to remove as many cancer cells as possible
• Radiation therapy to shrink the size of the tumor. Radiation therapy for sarcoma can be done before, during, or after surgery depending on your diagnosis
• Chemotherapy may be used as the main treatment or in combination with surgery and radiation
• Some types of soft tissue sarcomas can be attacked via targeted drug treatments

What Are the Side Effects of Sarcoma Treatments?

Banner MD Anderson is here to help you understand your treatment options, including potential side effects and how to manage them. The side effects of sarcoma therapy depend on the procedure.  Common physical side effects of sarcoma treatments include:

• Pain
• Swelling
• Bleeding
• Infections
• Blood clots
• Scarring
• Poor wound healing
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Hair loss
• Mouth sores
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Pain
• Fatigue

What If the Cancer Comes Back?

Sarcoma has one of the highest reoccurrence rates of any cancer. Most of the time, recurrence is not life-threatening. If you have recurrent cancer, you may feel strong emotions. Talking to a mental health professional trained in cancer services can help.

What If Treatment Doesn’t Work?

Sometimes, treatment does not cure cancer. Being diagnosed with terminal cancer is stressful and difficult to process. Banner MD Anderson is here to support you and your family at every step of your cancer journey. Patients with advanced cancer may want to consider palliative care for additional support and comfort.