About Us

The Musculoskeletal Bone and Soft Tissue Tumor Center is unique for several reasons. Physicians have been providing comprehensive interdisciplinary care for over twenty years. Clinical care and research are performed within the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) designated Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota. Research is supported by the NCI and National Institutes of health and private funding sources. Members of the team have contributed broadly to both education and scientific publications in the field of cancer.

Musculoskeletal bone and soft tissue cancerous tumors are called sarcomas and are comparitively rare. The number of bone and soft tissue cancer patients seen at our center is among the highest in the upper midwest. Specifically, we evaluate over 400 new musculoskeletal tumor patients per year, and of those, we treat over 100 new patients each year with cancerous tumors.

The long term objectives of the Musculoskeletal Bone and Soft Tissue Group are:

1.To improve the treatment of patients with musculoskeletal tumors through coordinated advances in laboratory research, clinical research and education.

2.To function as a resource to the medical community and the people of Minnesota by providing the highest quality treatment of musculoskeletal bone and soft tissue tumors.

TREATMENT METHODS
+ Multidisciplinary approach
+ Custom-tailored to each patient
+ Access to national clinical trials
+ University of Minnesota Cancer Center Clinical Trials
+ Limb preservation surgery
+ Reconstruction using bone transplantation or prosthetic replacement

OUTCOMES
+ Established record of care for treating more than 5,000 tumor patients since 1975.
+ Survivor rates for musculoskeletal cancer patients are among the best compared to other internationally recognized cancer centers.
+ Maintain a tumor data base to evaluate our treatment results.

CLINICAL RESEARCH
+ Participation and leadership in local and national study groups
+ Tracking oncologic outcomes
+ Quality of life assessments
+ Emphasis on translational research that improves patient care
+ Collaborative research with other disciplines
+ Education and faculty development

RESEARCH LABORATORY
Pioneering laboratory research contributributes in the following areas:
+ Biology of primary and metastatic tumors in adults and children
+ Bone histomorphology, molecular biology, transgenic techniques leading to novel therapies.
+ Developing cutting edge experimental research models of cancer and cancer-related diseases leading to novel therapies.
+ Studying how radiation treatment affects cancer.
+ Causes and neurochemistry of cancer pain.
+ Osteonecrosis, its natural history and treatment

BREAKTHROUGHS
Recognized track record of innovations such as:
+ Limb preservation through advanced reconstruction surgical techniques.
+ Optimizing surgery with radiation therapy for soft tissue sarcomas.
+ Quality of life analysis for patients with bone metastases.
+ Analysis of late effects after children receive chemotherapy.
+ Basic biology of how bone tumors destroy bone tissue.
+ Understanding the pathophysiology of cancer-related bone pain
+ First experimental model of bone cancer treated with radiation.

WORKING WITH YOU
+ Caring for patients and families is our highest priority.
+ We strive to keep referring and primary care physicians informed.
+ Comprehensive services for diagnosis, treatment and care.
+ Support groups and services available.