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Sarcoma

CUREtology

C. Suzanne Cutter, MD

Surgical Oncology located in Los Angeles, CA

Sarcoma is a type of cancer that affects your connective tissue, namely your soft tissue and your bones. It’s also a relatively rare form of cancer, which is why you need a specialist to help you fight the disease. At CUREtology, Dr. Cutter focuses on soft tissue sarcoma and provides a number of treatment avenues to help her patients in the West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Glendale, Pasadena, and surrounding Los Angeles, CA areas gain access to the most cutting-edge and advanced protocols available. If you’re dealing with soft tissue sarcoma, call today to book your appointment.

Sarcoma Q & A

What is soft tissue sarcoma?

Soft tissue sarcoma is a rare form of cancer, with only 13,000 cases diagnosed each year. The cancer strikes soft tissue of any kind, including your:

  • Fat
  • Muscles
  • Tendons
  • Cartilage
  • Blood vessels
  • Nerves
  • Skin tissue

There are over 50 different types of soft tissue sarcomas, which can develop anywhere in your body, though it starts in your arms or legs more than half the time. In about 40% of cases, the sarcoma starts in your abdomen.

How is soft tissue sarcoma diagnosed?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this question since it depends upon the location of the sarcoma. If the cancer develops in your arm or leg, you may notice a bump or experience pain, and these two symptoms only grow worse with time.

In these cases, Dr. Cutter turns to advanced imaging to take a look at what’s going on inside your soft tissue. If she spots a problem, she may go in and take a tissue sample to confirm or rule out a cancer diagnosis.

If the cancer is in your abdomen, you’ve likely been experiencing abdominal pain, bloody or black stool, and other gastrointestinal problems. If you’ve ruled out other issues, Dr. Cutter turns again to advanced imaging to take a look inside your abdomen and may also go in surgically to perform a biopsy.

How is soft tissue sarcoma treated?

Surgery is the most common treatment for soft tissue sarcoma. Dr. Cutter is not only a surgical oncologist, but she’s also a specialist in sarcoma. She performs minimally invasive and bloodless surgeries wherever possible and uses a negative margin technique to make sure she removes the cancer, leaving only healthy tissue behind.

After your surgery, and depending upon the lab results from the tissue she removes, you may need to undergo radiation and chemotherapy. In these cases, Dr. Cutter follows your adjuvant care with your medical and radiation oncology team and guides you through your treatments to ensure your success.

Dr. Cutter is a big believer that part of your recovery is eating right, exercising, and generally taking good care of yourself. She espouses a program that encourages health and wellness on every level to keep your body and your mind strong.

If you’d like to explore your options for soft tissue sarcoma care, call CUREtology or request an appointment using the online scheduler.