Why Choose Us for Sarcoma-Adjacent Disease Treatment
At Huntsman Cancer Institute, you receive comprehensive, multidisciplinary care for sarcoma-adjacent diseases, such as desmoid tumors. Our Sarcoma Care Team provides personalized and compassionate care at every step, from evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment to long-term follow-up and survivorship.
We care for adults at Huntsman Cancer Institute and children at Primary Children’s Hospital through our integrated team of internationally recognized experts in sarcoma surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, radiology, and pathology. As the only Comprehensive Cancer Center designated by the National Cancer Institute in the Mountain West, we offer the latest evidence-based treatments, including access to groundbreaking clinical trials for sarcoma-adjacent diseases.
Sarcoma-adjacent diseases are benign (noncancerous) or intermediate-grade tumors of connective tissue that are not classified as malignant sarcomas but share similar characteristics, locations, or treatment approaches. They often require care from sarcoma specialists because they can be locally aggressive, recur after treatment, or mimic sarcomas on imaging and pathology.
“My doctor and physician assistant were amazing and I wish all my regular doctors were as amazing as them."
—Sarcoma-Adjacent Disease Patient
Treatments We Offer
Our team of sarcoma experts collaborates closely to help you develop personalized treatment plans. Central to that collaborative care are our weekly multidisciplinary treatment planning conferences, where our entire team of sarcoma experts meets to work together on the best treatment plan for each patient.
We offer a comprehensive range of specialized treatments for patients with sarcoma-adjacent diseases:
- Surgery: Our surgical oncology team surgeons employ function-optimizing techniques to remove tumors, such as desmoid tumors.
- Radiation Therapy: Radiation therapy is used as the principal treatment of sarcoma-adjacent diseases that are not removable with surgery. We utilize advanced radiation techniques, including proton therapy, to deliver precise radiation doses to tumors while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissues.
- Chemotherapy: Sarcoma-adjacent disease treatment can include traditional chemotherapies or other systemic treatments (applied in pill or infusion form) that avoid some of the known unpleasant side effects of traditional chemotherapies.
- Cryoablation: This minimally invasive procedure uses extreme cold to freeze and destroy abnormal tissue. It is typically performed under image guidance (such as CT or ultrasound) to precisely target the tumor while sparing surrounding healthy structures. Cryoablation may be used for desmoid tumors, certain benign growths, and select recurrent or unresectable lesions.
- Clinical trials: We operate the only Phase 1 clinical cancer research program in the region, offering more than 400 open clinical trials to patients. These trials provide access to cutting-edge therapies and investigational treatments, contributing to advancements in sarcoma care. We have a number of clinical trials for sarcoma-adjacent diseases open at any given time.
Our Expertise
We are at the forefront of treatment for sarcoma-adjacent diseases, with expertise in the following:
- Multidisciplinary care for all types of sarcoma-adjacent diseases
- Coordinated care across specialties and geographic regions
- Long-term follow-up and survivorship support
- Access to clinical trials
Supportive care services are available for every patient and patient’s family member. You are supported by a team of providers, nurses, medical assistants, social workers, and counselors.
We can also coordinate care for patients from a long-distance, working with local providers and arranging the vast supportive care resources of the Hope Lodge and Ronald McDonald House for patients needing to relocate temporarily to Salt Lake City. We connect teenagers and young adult patients to a host of supportive services available through the Huntsman-Intermountain Adolescent and Young Adult (HIAYA) Cancer Care Program.
Patient Care Philosophy
We believe no one should face cancer alone. Our dedicated and world-renowned doctors, nurses, and medical staff are at the forefront of patient-centered care. We treat the whole person, not just their cancer.
Each day, our medical, surgical, and radiation oncologists work together across disciplines to create and coordinate treatment plans for every patient. We understand cancer is a complex disease. That is why we use a team approach that includes social workers and support groups, as well as wellness and integrative health services such as acupuncture, massage, creative arts, and more.
Find a Sarcoma-Adjacent Disease Doctor
Sarcoma-Adjacent Diseases Research
Huntsman Cancer Institute is a leader in sarcoma research, focusing on understanding the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying different sarcoma types, as well as sarcoma-adjacent diseases such as desmoid tumors.
Through our specialty Sarcoma Disease Center, we bring together doctors and scientists who work side by side to turn scientific discoveries into better outcomes for you.
Clinical Trials
Make an Appointment with a Sarcoma-Adjacent Disease Specialist
To make an appointment with a sarcoma-adjacent disease specialist, fill out our appointment form or call 801-587-7000. Our team will determine if your insurance covers treatment at Huntsman Cancer Institute or if you need a referral from a primary care doctor.
External providers can refer a patient using the online referral form or by calling 801-587-7000 to speak to a patient registration specialist.
Sarcoma-Adjacent Diseases Basics
There are multiple types of sarcoma-adjacent diseases. The most common sarcoma-adjacent diseases we diagnosis and treat are desmoid tumors.
- Desmoid tumor: Desmoid tumors grow from connective tissue and are often found in the abdomen, shoulders, upper arms, and thighs. Although desmoid tumor cells do not spread through the body like cancer, they can grow into nearby tissue and affect how the body functions at the site of the tumor. Desmoid tumors in the abdomen can cause a blockage in the intestine.
- Tenosynovial giant cell tumor: Tenosynovial giant cell tumors are rare tumors that occur in the synovium, the tissue that lines the joints, tendon sheaths, or bursae.
- Giant cell tumor of bone: A giant cell tumor of bone is a noncancerous tumor that grows near joints, typically at the ends of the body’s long bones, such as the femur.
- Aneurysmal bone cyst: An aneurysmal bone cyst is a noncancerous lesion that develops in bone, most commonly in the body’s long bones.
- Neurofibroma: A neurofibroma is a noncancerous tumor that develops in major or minor nerves.
Need help navigating your care? The Cancer Learning Center is here to support you with personalized guidance, resources, and answers to your questions.
These are common symptoms of sarcoma-adjacent diseases such as desmoid tumors:
- Pain and swelling in the area of the tumor
- Sleep loss
- Difficulty moving arms, hands, or legs
- Tingling feeling
Many other health problems can also cause these signs. If you have any of these signs, see your doctor as soon as possible.
These are the causes and risk factors for the most common sarcoma-adjacent disease, desmoid tumors.
- They are most common in people between the ages of 15–60.
- They are more common in females than males.
- In 5–10% of cases, desmoid tumors are genetic. People with Gardner syndrome, a form of familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), have a high risk of developing desmoid tumors.
Understand your risk. Schedule a genetic counseling session today.
Doctors may use the following to diagnosis sarcoma-adjacent diseases:
- Physical exam and history: A health care provider examines your body. Your personal health habits, past illnesses, and symptoms help guide the exam.
- Imaging tests: Your health care provider uses ultrasounds, X-rays, an MRI, or a CT scan to identify the location and size of the tumor.
- Biopsy: The health care provider removes cells or tissue samples so they can be viewed under a microscope.
When a person is diagnosed with cancer, concerns about treatments and side effects, hospital stays, and medical bills are common. Huntsman Cancer Institute offers many ways to support patients, caregivers, and loved ones.
