Soft Tissue Sarcoma Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy for Soft Tissue Sarcoma 

Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) aggressively treats soft tissue sarcoma by using targeted therapies to fight the disease and preserve your quality of life. While surgery is most commonly the first line of treatment for soft tissue sarcomas, depending on the location, size, type and grade of the tumor, chemotherapy may also be a part of your treatment plan.

Chemotherapy drugs are used to destroy cancer cells by interfering with their growth and reproduction. These anti-cancer drugs are typically given by injection or by mouth. Some sarcoma types may not respond to chemotherapy, but others, such as liposarcoma and leiomyosarcoma, often respond to chemotherapy treatment.

The varied response to soft tissue sarcoma chemotherapy is another reason why we at CTCA believe that every treatment plan should be tailored to each patient’s specific needs. It is also why we employ innovative techniques, such as tumor molecular profiling.

Soft Tissue Sarcoma Chemotherapy Treatments

When treating soft tissue sarcoma, chemotherapy can be used before surgery (neoadjuvant), along with radiation therapy, to help shrink the tumor before it is removed. Chemotherapy can also be used after surgery (adjuvant therapy) to continue to fight any cancer cells that have remained, as well as to try and stop the disease from recurring.

If soft tissue sarcoma chemotherapy treatment is a part of your personal care plan, our medical oncologists will use advanced chemotherapy treatments. The following are some examples of common chemotherapy drugs used to treat soft tissue sarcoma: adriamycin, ifosfamide, etoposide, epirubicin and dacarbazine.

Depending on the regimen, chemotherapy may be administered in pill form or in the form of an injection into a vein. For soft tissue sarcoma, chemotherapy is usually combined with other treatments, such as surgery and radiation therapy. Receiving chemotherapy and radiation within the same time period is known as chemoradiation therapy. 

Managing Chemotherapy Side Effects

We understand the potential side effects of chemotherapy for soft tissue sarcoma can be unpleasant, and may include nausea, vomiting, hair loss, flu-like symptoms and mouth sores. Your CTCA care team will work together and use multiple measures to help reduce or moderate chemotherapy-related symptoms, so you can enjoy a better quality of life.

While receiving chemotherapy, your care team will also provide supportive therapies to ease side effects before, during and after chemotherapy treatment. For example, your naturopathic clinician may recommend supplements to reduce nausea, while your mind-body therapist can recommend techniques to help you relax and feel less anxious during your soft tissue sarcoma chemotherapy treatments.

Next Topic: Soft Tissue Sarcoma HIPEC