Sarcoma Program

Our multidisciplinary team treats a wide range of tumors, including:

• Bone tumors
• Benign soft tissue tumors
• Soft tissue tumors (soft tissue sarcoma)
• Osteosarcoma
• Ewing sarcoma
• Rhabdomyosarcoma

Our pediatric experts provide exceptional care to children, adolescents and young adults. Some of our services include:

• Radiation therapy
• Surgery
• Orthopedic oncology
• Clinical trials

Tumors, or neoplasms, are groupings of abnormal cells that cluster together to form a mass or lump. They’re formed when cells divide and grow excessively, and they can be benign (not cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).

Benign tumors are slow-growing, noncancerous, and do not spread to surrounding tissues. They are often diagnosed following a minor trauma, fracture or history of pain. Treatment options vary depending on the size, type and location of the benign bone tumors, but surgery will generally treat these tumors.

A cancerous tumor (malignant neoplasm) can grow unchecked, invade healthy tissue and metastasize (spread to other parts of the body). If it goes untreated and continues to spread, a malignant neoplasm can interfere with organ function and become life-threatening.

Treatment depends on the type of cancer and how far it has progressed. If the cancer is limited to one area and hasn’t spread, the tumor may be removed through surgery. Other common treatments include chemotherapy, which kills cancer cells throughout the body, and radiation therapy, which kills cancer cells in a specific area of the body. Treatment for malignant tumors also includes extensive family and child support from our team at Connecticut Children’s.

Connecticut Children’s is home to some of the top researchers in the nation. We are currently conducting studies to improve fertility in female patients undergoing chemotherapy, as well as evaluating the long-term effects of chemotherapy on the heart.

Connecticut Children’s also partners with three research consortia. These partnerships help us to offer pediatric patients the latest innovations in clinical therapy, while also advancing clinical cancer research that benefits children everywhere.

• Children’s Oncology Group
• The Sunshine Project
• Beat Childhood Cancer Research Consortium

At Connecticut Children’s, we evaluate, diagnose and treat a wide range of bone and soft tissue tumors. Musculoskeletal tumors are relatively rare and require highly specialized care. Our orthopedic oncology specialist Adam D. Lindsay, MD, partners with general surgical oncologists, radiation oncologists, adult medical oncologists, radiologists, pathologists and plastic surgeons to provide a multidisciplinary, coordinated approach to care for each patient. Dr. Lindsay is a fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon, specializing in orthopedic oncology. Learn more about his research interests here.