Can you give me a general overview of sarcoma?
About Sarcoma - Sarcoma Foundation of America

Can you explain what bones are made up of?
Bones – Cancer Research UK
What is osteosarcoma – American Cancer Society (ACS)
Bone Cancer - National Cancer Institute

Can you tell me about Paget’s Disease and sarcoma?
Paget's Disease of Bone – American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

Do you have any information about some of the tests that I may have?
After the preliminary tests are complete, a method of testing the tumor tissue is chosen. This is called a biopsy and can be done in one of several ways. If the tumor is quite small the doctor may do an excisional biopsy, which involves removing the entire tumor and some normal tissue all around it. Most tumors are too large for this approach and will be tested by other techniques. The least invasive is called a needle-aspiration biopsy which means putting a small needle (similar to those used to take blood samples) into the tumor and drawing out some cells. The cells are placed on microscope slides and sent to a cytologist for diagnosis. Another type of needle biopsy removes a "core" of tissue from the tumor that shows the pathologist a group of cells together. The most invasive and reliable biopsy of a large tumor is called an incisional biopsy. In this procedure, the doctor performs a small operation to remove a piece of the tumor so the pathologist has enough tissue on which to perform several special tests.

Bone Scan – Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide
Bone Radiography – Radiological Society of North America
ALP Test – American Association for Clinical Chemistry

Where is the first place I should look for treatment information?
Osteosarcoma/Malignant Fibrous Histiocytoma of Bone: Treatment – NCI/PDQ®
Ewing’s Family of Tumors: Treatment – NCI/PDQ®

What is limb-sparing surgery?
Limb Salvage Surgery for Extremity Sarcomas – Bonetumor.org
Surgery - ACS
Limb Sparing Surgery – Cancer Research UK

How do they replace bone that has been removed?
What Can You Tell Me About Bone and Tissue Transplantation – American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons
Department of Orthopedics Bone Bank - MGH

What happens after limb-sparing surgery? Is there any information to help with rehabilitation?
Limb sparing surgery long term – Cancer Research UK
How to Use Crutches, Canes, and Walkers – American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons

Why would I need both surgery and chemotherapy? Do you have any information on why this is done?
Outlook for Bone Cancer Brighter - ACS
Detailed Guide: Osteosarcoma Chemotherapy- ACS
Osteosarcoma and Malignant Fibrous Histiocytoma of Bone Treatment - NCI/PDQ

I thought I had bone cancer, but my doctor tells me it is breast cancer that has spread to the bone. What can you tell me about this?
What is Bone Metastatis - ACS
Bone Metastatis – Bonetumor.org

Do you have a list of websites, books, and other resources on osteosarcomas?
Information Finder on Sarcomas

Revised 2008

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