Where the first surgery matters most, we plan it properly.
In sarcoma there is no second chance at a first operation. A lump simply "shelled out" seeds recurrence along the track; a properly planned wide excision cures. Everything on this page exists to make sure yours is the second kind.
What are sarcomas?
Rare cancers of the soft tissue and bone — limbs, trunk, the space behind the abdomen. Because they are rare, they are often mistaken for harmless lumps and removed casually. That single mistake, called a "whoops procedure", is the commonest reason sarcoma outcomes suffer.
The remedy is sequence discipline: MRI before any biopsy, biopsy placed along the line of the future incision, staging before theatre. Followed correctly, most limb sarcomas are cured without losing the limb.
The rule worth knowing. Any lump that is deep, larger than five centimetres, painful, or growing — deserves imaging before removal, not after.
Signs that deserve imaging first
Not every lump is trouble. But these features change a lump from a cosmetic matter into a medical one — and each is easy to check with a scan and an examination.
- ①A lump growing steadily over weeks or months.
- ②Any deep lump larger than five centimetres.
- ③A lump that becomes painful, or painful from the start.
- ④A lump recurring after previous removal — never ignored.
- ⑤Swelling of a limb without any injury to explain it.
- ⑥Numbness or tingling where a lump presses on nerves.
- ⑦Limited movement of an arm or leg caused by a mass.
- ⑧A lump approaching golf-ball size — roughly four centimetres.
Cancers treated here
◆Soft-Tissue Sarcoma
Limb and trunk sarcomas excised with compartment-aware wide margins.
◆Retroperitoneal Sarcoma
Deep abdominal masses requiring multivisceral resection, planned organ by organ.
◆Bone Sarcomas
Osteosarcoma and Ewing’s managed jointly with orthopaedic oncology.
◆Desmoid Tumours
Aggressive-but-not-cancer growths — watched, drugged or resected, honestly chosen.
◆GIST
Gastrointestinal stromal tumours — targeted-therapy responsive when handled correctly.
◆Recurrent Disease
Re-excision of previously shelled-out lumps, done to proper margins this time.
Operations performed here
- ◆Wide compartment-aware excisionThe tumour removed with its biological capsule intact and clean margins — the operation that cures.
- ◆Limb-salvage surgeryFunction and limb preserved in the great majority of cases, without compromising cure.
- ◆Retroperitoneal multivisceral resectionDeep sarcomas cleared together with the organs they involve, planned in advance.
- ◆Re-excision of "whoops" surgeryPreviously shelled-out lumps revised along the full contamination track.
- ◆Coordinated therapy pathwaysRadiotherapy and chemotherapy woven around surgery by design, not afterthought.
- ◆GIST managementDiagnosis, imatinib planning and surgery sequenced for this uniquely treatable tumour.
From first visit to full recovery
MRI before anything else
The lump characterised in place — no removal before understanding.
Biopsy along the incision line
Tissue taken through the track future surgery will remove anyway.
Staging scans
Chest and abdomen imaged so the plan covers everything found.
Multidisciplinary plan
Orthopaedic oncology, radiation and medical oncology at one table.
The first surgery — done right
Wide margins achieved in one considered operation.
Rehabilitation & surveillance
Function rebuilt with physiotherapy; local recurrence watched for on schedule.
Questions families ask first
Because in sarcoma the first operation is the decisive one. An unplanned removal can turn a curable lump into a multi-stage salvage problem. One consultation before theatre protects years afterwards.
In most cases, no — limb-salvage surgery is now the standard of care for the majority of limb sarcomas. Amputation remains necessary occasionally, and when it is, you will hear the reasons plainly and early.
Removing the tumour together with a cuff of healthy tissue all around, through unopened natural planes. It is the difference between taking the seed and taking the fruit with its branch — sarcoma punishes shortcuts.
Yes, but it behaves differently from other sarcomas — it responds remarkably to targeted tablets like imatinib. With correct diagnosis and sequencing, long-term control is common.
If the pathology was truly benign, usually no. But if it recurred, grew back, or the report used uncertain words, bring the slides and report — review costs little and settles the question.