Oncology Surgery

With the development of newer chemotherapy regimes, most sarcomas can be treated with limb sparing surgery (without the need for amputation).

For bone sarcomas, the tumour is removed, and the bone defect is then reconstructed with either a megaprosthesis (a big joint replacement), bone from the patient (autograft) or bone from a donor (allograft).

Soft tissue sarcomas are treated by removal of the tumour.

Benign tumours do not spread to other parts of the body, so the majority of them are treated less aggressively than sarcomas. Benign soft tissue tumours may be treated with surgery to remove the tumour. Some benign bone tumours may be treated by curettage (scooping the tumour out), and following that, the defect is filled with bone graft or methylmethacrylate (bone cement).

Metastatic carcinoma to the bone is also treated with surgery if the bone has broken, or is at risk of breaking. Sometimes, metallic rods, plates and screws may be used to prevent the bone from breaking. If the carcinoma has spread to only one part of one bone in the body, and nowhere else, then the tumour may be removed ‘en-bloc’ (as one piece) to remove all macroscopic tumour, in an attempt to cure the patient. Some of these patients will need the bone defect reconstructed with either a megaprosthesis (a big joint replacement), bone from the patient (autograft) or bone from a donor (allograft).

Very rarely, it may not be possible to save the limb, and it may be necessary to remove the limb (an amputation), in order to remove or control the tumour.

Your surgeon will discuss your proposed surgery in detail and answer any questions you may have at your appointment.