The Sarcoma and Solid Tumor Program at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital is the largest in South Florida and one of the largest in the state in providing care to children with all types of bone and soft tissue cancers. The program is committed to offering the latest interventions and treatments for children with sarcoma and solid tumors.
Sarcoma is a group of cancers, or masses, that can grow anywhere in the body, including bones, muscles, tissues and organs. Sarcomas a rare in children, with less than 15 percent of the pediatric population affected.
Why Choose Us?
Treating sarcomas and solid tissue cancers can be complicated and often require surgery, chemotherapy and in some cases radiation. That is why it is important to be evaluated by a team experienced in the treatment of sarcoma, who will work together throughout the treatment journey and optimize outcomes.
The program is comprised of a specialized team of pediatric multidisciplinary specialists with expertise in treating sarcoma who work closely together to provide coordinated, compassionate care to children faced with a diagnosis. These include experts in:
- Nutrition
- Oncology
- Orthopedic Oncology
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Pediatric Surgery
- Physical and Occupational Therapy
- Plastic Surgery
- Psychology
- Radiation Oncology
- Radiology
- Social Work
About the Program
At Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, our team well understands the complexities involved in caring for children with rare and complex cancers, including sarcomas and solid tumors. Highlights of our program include:
- Advanced imaging
- Behavioral health and psychological support throughout the care journey
- Clinical trials for children and adolescents with new diagnosis and relapsed sarcoma conditions
- Targeted chemotherapies using personalized medicine
- Surgical and Non-Surgical Techniques for Limb Salvage
- Survivorship program to provide support post-treatment
- HIPEC and HITEC heathed chemotherapy treatments
A Regional Leader in Limb Salvage Techniques
For tumors involving the musculoskeletal system, orthopedic surgeons provide evaluation and treatment, including prescribing and interpreting imaging and testing, as well as performing biopsies and definitive cancer surgery treatment.
The orthopedic surgical team enlists one of the region’s most experienced oncological orthopedists to remove pediatric tumors and reconstruct extremities utilizing the most advanced limb salvage techniques available. The team is one of a few in the region to utilize oncological prostheses for limb salvage that make it possible for a child’s leg to grow through a series of nonsurgical adjustments, eliminating the need for future leg-lengthening surgeries. The department also coordinates rehabilitative care of the patient following cancer surgery.
- Limb Salvage Surgery
- Mass Resection Surgery
- Proton Beam Radiation
- Proton Radiation Therapy
- Targeted Therapies
Clinical Trials
The Sarcoma and Solid Tumor Program at Nicklaus Children’s is a referral center for treatment of children and adolescents with some of the most complex tumors. The program is part of many investigational trials for sarcoma and bone tumors, including:
- A study on the use of personalized medicine and genomics to guide individualized treatments for children with relapsed or refractory solid tumors and leukemia.
- Next generation sequencing of pediatric tumor samples from a multi-site consortium of clinical cancer programs.
- Part of a nationwide consortium for pediatric MATCH (molecular analysis for therapy choice).