Treatment for Soft Tissue Sarcomas
There are three methods of treatment used for soft tissue sarcomas. Frequently more than one treatment method is used to treat these types of malignant tumors.
- Chemotherapy: the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy not only destroys cancer cells but also affects the growth of normal cells and therefore has side effects which will be explained to you.
- Surgery: involves the complete or partial removal of the tumor. Some normal tissue may also be removed and lymph node sampling performed as part of the staging process.
- Radiation therapy: the use of high-powered X-rays to kill cancer cells. The treatment is given in precisely measured amounts by doctors and technicians who are experts in this field.
Treatment may vary according to:
- Type of sarcoma
- Age of the child at diagnosis
- Location of the tumor
- Stage of the disease.
At the Aflac Cancer and Bleeding Disorders Service, parents are always included in the decision-making process when the healthcare team develops a treatment plan.
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