History & Overview Annual Report President's Pages Center News Community Affairs
Make a Gift Yankees Universe Fund Fred's Team Cycle for Survival Thomas Blake Sr. Memorial Research Fund Donating Blood & Platelets Volunteering Thrift Shop Park Avenue Potluck Cookbook
Press Releases Information for Journalists News@MSKCC
Manhattan New Jersey Long Island Westchester
Working at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Work Sites College Recruitment About Nursing Job Fairs & Career Days Job Search & Apply Online
Making an Appointment
Nate's Story
The remarkable story of Nate's battle with rhabdomyosarcoma
more

Sarcomas are cancers that can arise anywhere within the body where there is bone, muscle, or connective tissue. They account for about 10 to 15 percent of all newly diagnosed cancers in children and young adults under the age of 20 in the United States.

Although rhabdomyosarcoma (a tumor arising from muscle), Ewing's sarcoma (a tumor that typically arises from the bone), and osteosarcoma (a tumor that arises from bone) comprise the majority of sarcomas seen in children and young adults, other more rare forms of sarcomas can also be seen. Patients with certain genetic syndromes such as Li-Fraumeni syndrome are predisposed to developing sarcomas. However, in the vast majority of our patients, there are no predisposing factors.

For every patient who comes to Memorial Sloan-Kettering for the diagnosis and/or treatment of sarcoma, a multidisciplinary team of medical professionals, including pediatric oncologists, surgical oncologists, radiation oncologists, diagnostic radiologists, pathologists, integrative medicine specialists, psychiatrists, physical therapists, and other cancer specialists collaborate in the patient's care. Appropriate radiographic studies -- x-rays, computed tomography (CT) scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, bone scans, and positron emission tomography (PET) scans -- are performed to determine the extent of disease involvement. In addition, a tiny piece of the tumor is removed by our surgeons to be examined by our pathologists who specialize in the diagnosis of sarcomas. Within days, if a diagnosis of sarcoma (specifying the type and the extent of disease involvement) is confirmed, treatment begins rapidly.

In this section, you can find information about our expertise in the treatment of pediatric sarcoma, our services, and our research.

  • Our Approach & Expertise
    At Memorial Sloan-Kettering, we treat more children with sarcomas than any other institution in the world. The treatment needed to cure sarcomas differs depending on the cancer detected. In the broadest sense, treatment for these types of cancers involves "systemic therapy" and "local control."
  • Our Team of Experts
    The multidisciplinary team of Memorial Sloan-Kettering includes surgical oncologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, nurse practitioners/clinicians, diagnostic radiologists, pathologists, social workers, and other cancer specialists.
  • Osteosarcoma
    Osteosarcoma is a tumor that arises from bone. Approximately 400 new cases are diagnosed in the United States annually. Pain and swelling are the most common presenting complaints for patients with osteosarcoma.
  • Ewing's Sarcoma
    Ewing's sarcoma is a tumor that involves the bone as well as the soft tissue. It tends to appear in the middle area of bones -- most often in the hip, ribs, upper arm, and thigh. Annually, approximately 300 to 400 new cases are diagnosed in the US. Pain and swelling are the most common presenting complaints.
  • Rhabdomyosarcoma
    Rhabdomyosarcoma are tumors that involve the muscles of the body. Any muscle in the body may be involved. Pain and swelling are the most common presenting complaints for patients with rhabdomyosarcoma.
  • Other Types of Sarcoma
    In general, the other types of sarcomas are extremely rare in children and young adults, but they can include alveolar soft part sarcoma; fibrosarcoma and dermatofibroma; infantile hemangiopericytoma; leiomyosarcoma; liposarcoma; and synovial sarcoma.
  • Innovative Treatments
    Physicians on Memorial Sloan-Kettering's Pediatric Sarcoma Team continue to develop new therapies and surgical techniques. The new therapies being developed for pediatric sarcomas focus on delivering effective tumor killing agents while reducing the side-effects associated with therapy. These innovations are designed to tailor cancer therapies specific to each individual patient's metabolism and extent of disease.
  • Our Clinical Trials
    A continually updated listing of Memorial Sloan-Kettering's current clinical trials for pediatric sarcoma.

Related Topics & News
Last Updated: Nov. 28, 2005
PrintEmail This Page