Pediatric Sarcomas
Sarcomas are a relatively uncommon form of cancer that can develop in children and adolescents. In fact, although there are many different kinds of pediatric sarcomas, all together sarcomas account for less than 15 percent of all childhood cancers. Despite the small number of children who develop these cancers, the University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital has pediatric specialists focused on diagnosing and treating pediatric sarcomas in babies, children, adolescents and young adults.
Kyle Harvey battled rhabdomyosarcoma at age 5, and osteo-sarcoma at age 15. Today, he's thriving at college. »Read Kyle's storySarcomas can arise nearly anywhere in the body. Pediatric sarcomas are usually classified into two major categories: bone sarcomas and soft tissue sarcomas. Within these two umbrella categories, there are many different types of sarcomas that can develop in children. Pediatric specialists at Comer Children's Hospital have expertise in diagnosing and treating the many different common and rare sub-types of sarcomas, including:
- Bone Sarcomas: Osteosarcomas (several different types), Ewing sarcoma. These bone cancers can appear in any bone, but most often begin in the leg, arm, pelvis or rib. Ewing sarcoma is a bone cancer, yet it also can arise in soft tissue.
- Soft-tissue Sarcomas: Rhabdomyosarcoma (the most common childhood sarcoma, with several sub-types) and non-rhabdomyosarcoma soft tissue sarcoma (NRSTS, such as synovial sarcoma, fibrosarcoma, fibromatosis/desmoid tumor, peripheral nerve sheath tumors and nearly 20 other sub-types of NRSTS). Soft-tissue sarcomas can begin in muscle, tendons, nerves, fatty tissue, fibrous tissues and other soft tissues. Because these tissues are found throughout the body, soft-tissue sarcomas can arise anywhere in the body.
Most pediatric sarcomas are considered high grade, which means they are highly malignant (cancerous), can spread rapidly, and have a high likelihood of recurring after treatment. The aggressive nature of most types of sarcoma makes accurate diagnosis and expert treatment particularly critical. Choosing a children's hospital that can offer the complete range of diagnostic and treatment resources is the best first step toward effective intervention and the best results for each child.
Advanced Expertise
The University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital features a full range of resources for diagnosing and treating the multitude of different sarcomas. As a children's hospital, Comer has physicians and other specialists who focus on pediatric cancer and its impact on children. And, as part of the University of Chicago Medical Center -- with one of the 10 best cancer programs in the nation, according to U.S.News & World Report -- Comer Children's Hospital can draw upon the Medical Center's extensive clinical and research resources dedicated to fighting cancers of all kinds.
Services
Sarcomas in children are rare, and there are many different types. This makes it particularly challenging to diagnose and treat children with sarcomas, especially for medical practices that may have never handled this type of cancer before. Diagnosis and treatment of sarcomas is very different than diagnosis and treatment of more common childhood cancers, such as leukemia. That's why having a team of experts with expertise focused specifically on pediatric sarcomas can make such a difference in the effectiveness of treatment.
University of Chicago pediatric specialists have the experience and advanced resources to diagnose, analyze and treat pediatric sarcomas. Here, pediatric oncologists, radiation oncologists, orthopaedic surgeons, pathologists, nurse specialists and others work together to strive for the best results for children with sarcomas and other forms of cancer.
The team here treats children of all ages: babies through adolescents. We also treat young adults who may have what is considered a "pediatric" form of cancer, despite being in their 20s or even 30s.
Diagnostics: The Right Diagnosis Guides the Right Treatment
Getting the proper diagnosis right from the start is critical, but isn't always easy because of the many different types of sarcomas that may appear in children. Molecular analysis, blood tests and other advanced diagnostics enable pathologists to pinpoint the specific type of sarcoma a child may have. MRI, PET and CT scanning can show whether the sarcoma has spread to other parts of the body.
Treatments
Sarcomas are complex, and their treatment is comprehensive and multidimensional. Often, treatment includes surgery combined with either chemotherapy or radiation therapy, or both. For example, the team may use radiation therapy to shrink a tumor before surgery; or they may opt for chemotherapy after surgery to destroy remaining cancer cells. Having the capability to provide all of these modalities of treatment within the same children's hospital enables the team to effectively coordinate each child's care and to readily modify treatment plans as the cancer responds to treatment.
Additionally, some patients may be eligible for studies of the very newest therapies, through clinical trials being conducted at Comer Children's Hospital. Parents are closely involved in deciding whether or not to enroll their child in a clinical trial.
Bone Cancer: Innovative Surgery Saves Limbs, Protects Growth
Traditional treatment for bone cancer is amputation -- an option we avoid whenever possible at Comer Children's Hospital. We carefully balance the need to treat bone cancer with the desire to keep kids active and functioning normally throughout their childhood and as they become adults.
Orthopaedic surgeons at Comer Children's Hospital have been leaders in less-extreme surgical treatment of bone cancers for more than 20 years. In the 1980s, our surgeons were among the first in the U.S. to perform "limb-sparing" surgery as an alternative to amputation.
Today, our surgeons are among the first worldwide performing "articular-sparing resection" to maximize normal growth and long-term functioning for kids with bone cancer. This intricate technique preserves as much of the child's healthy bone as possible. Like fitting together jagged pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, the orthopaedic surgeon removes cancerous bone and then fits together the child's own healthy bone and tissue with bone or tissue from a cadaver or prosthesis. The result: a bone or joint that is strong, stable and has the best chance to grow normally.
Our Team
A team of pediatric specialists at Comer Children's Hospital are dedicated to addressing the full span of each child's needs, before, during and after treatment. The team meets formally each week to discuss each patient's diagnosis, treatment and progress. They meet informally on a daily basis to address patients' needs and progress.
The physician team includes pediatric oncologists, radiation oncologists and surgical oncologists (including orthopaedic surgeons) -- each with extensive experience in pediatric sarcomas. Pediatric cancer nurses and nurse practitioners work closely with physicians, patients and their families. Pathologists are instrumental in the diagnostic process, while physical and occupation therapists play a critical role during recovery and rehabilitation. Psychologists, child life specialists and others help children address the emotional and social implications of illness and treatment.
