Getting Treatment

Photo of two surgeons standing in an operating room with large overhead lights
Dr. Kenneth Gundle (right), orthopaedic surgeon, in the operating room.

Most bone and soft tissue tumors are removed with surgery. You may also have treatment with a medical oncologist or radiation oncologist, depending on the stage, location and type of tumor. Types of treatment include:

Surgical

There are more than 20 types of bone tumors that are not cancer. Most of these happen or occur in children and young adults.

Treatment depends on the type of tumor and where it is in the body.   Some tumors need to be removed with surgery, while others do not. Your care team will help determine which course of treatment is most effective for your circumstance.

Some of the most common benign bone tumors are enchondroma, osteochondroma and giant cell tumor.

There are more than 20 types of malignant bone tumors. The most common are osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma and chondrosarcoma.

Malignant tumors such as osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma are rapidly growing tumors that can start in the bone and spread to other areas of the body, such as the lungs.

Chondrosarcoma rarely spreads to other parts of the body. However, these tumors can severely damage the bone in the area where they grow.

These tumors require coordinated care from your surgeon, medical oncologist and radiation oncologist. We will work with you to find the best course of treatment, personalized for your situation.

A benign tumor can form in any tissue in the body. This includes muscles, blood vessels, nerves, tendons and fat. When these tumors are not cancerous they are called benign soft tissue tumors. There are more than 50 different types of these tumors. Some of them do not cause any problems, while others can grow quickly and cause causing pain and other problems.

None of these tumors spread to other parts of the body, but may require surgery to remove them if deemed necessary by your care team.

A malignant tumor can form in any tissue in the body. This includes muscles, blood vessels, nerves, tendons and fat. When these tumors are cancerous they are called malignant soft tissue tumors. There are more than 30 different types of these tumors.

Our doctors will develop a treatment plan based on the size of the tumor you have and how fast it is growing or spreading. Your general health and where the tumor is located in your body are important factors in your treatment.

These tumors require coordinated care from your surgeon, medical oncologist and radiation oncologist. We will work with you to find the best course of treatment, personalized for your situation.

Other bone tumors include: myeloma, lymphoma, and metastatic tumors.

Tumors often start in the bone marrow, the soft tissue in the center of the bones where new cells are made. The most common of these tumors are multiple myeloma and lymphoma. These tumors can grow and destroy the bone, leading to fractures (broken bones).

These tumors are usually treated with chemotherapy, radiation or both. However, if a bone breaks or becomes very weak, you may need surgery to repair it.

Metastatic bone tumors are tumors that start in other parts of the body and spread to the bones. The most common metastatic bone tumors come from breast, lung, prostate, kidney and thyroid cancers.

The best treatment for you depends on the type of tumor you have. Our multidisciplinary team of specialists will work with you to develop a personalized treatment plan. Although chemotherapy is the main treatment, radiation therapy and surgery are often necessary.

If you have a bone or soft tissue tumor, your doctor may need to remove bone or tissue to remove the cancer. Because our experts use the latest surgical techniques, they can usually reconstruct a limb (arm or leg) or part of the pelvis even after removing a large amount of bone or tissue. Bone from elsewhere in the body and advanced artificial limb technology can help bring back normal function.

Amputating (removing) an arm or leg is rarely necessary. The goal of modern tumor surgery is to preserve the limb.

Metabolic bone disease is a term used for bone conditions caused by many different disorders.

These disorders are often caused by abnormal levels of minerals in the body, such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium or Vitamin D. Many of these conditions can be reversed once the cause is treated. These disorders are different from the inherited (genetic) bone disorders caused by defective cells or cell functioning.

Nonsurgical

  • Rehabilitation services
  • Nonsurgical tumor care
  • Long-term tumor surveillance
  • Chemotherapy
  • Radiation therapy

Schedule an appointment

Locations

OHSU Center for Health & Healing
Building 1
3303 S. Bond Avenue
Portland, OR 97239

Clinic at Umpqua Orthopaedics
277 Medical Loop
Roseburg, OR 97471

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