Today, most sarcomas of bone and soft tissues are treated with limb preserving surgery and not amputation. In many areas of the United States, it is still not realized that most sarcomas can be treated with saving the limb and do not require amputation. If you have been diagnosed with a bone or soft tissue tumor, you should seek the advice of an orthopaedic oncologist. An orthopaedic oncologist is most qualified in examining you and recommending further treatment. They are most experienced in limb sparing surgery and prosthetic reconstruction following tumor resection.
Chemotherapy refers to drugs used in the treatment of cancers.
Chemotherapy, when combined with surgery, has been found to be effective in the treatment of high grade sarcomas, including non-metastatic osteosarcoma, ewing's sarcoma and MFH of bone. It has been found to cure the majority of patients with these tumors. Other types of sarcomas are also treated with chemotherapy. There are many side effects associated with these drugs however, there have been major developments in recent years of drugs which combat the ill effects of the chemotherapy agents. It is also initiated to treat microscopic metastatic disease early.