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Sarcoma Outcomes

Our team of sarcoma specialists at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University — Georgia’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center — provide exceptional treatment and achieve some of the best sarcoma outcomes and survival rates in the Southeast.

Sarcoma Outcomes

Sarcomas are rare type of cancer that represent less than 1% of all adult cancers. In the United States, about 13,000 patients are diagnosed with sarcoma each year. Of those, approximately 80% are soft tissue sarcomas, and around 20% are bone sarcomas.

Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University is Georgia’s only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center and treats hundreds of pediatric and adult sarcoma patients every year, making Winship a high-volume center. Research shows that patients who receive treatment at high-volume academic medical centers have better sarcoma survival rates and outcomes.

Soft tissue sarcoma outcomes depend on several factors, including:

  • Tumor location
  • Tumor size
  • Tumor grade
  • Stage (how advanced it is and whether it has spread)
  • Age and overall health of the patient

Advancements in both diagnostic technology and in the treatments available for sarcoma are improving our understanding of the disease. In turn, the predictive models we use to determine outcomes can now provide risk assessments accounting for individual differences in patient physiology and disease characteristics. The most common of these predictive nomograms include Sarculator and MSKCC, which are both used by physicians at Winship.

Generally, the five-year survival rates for sarcoma are:

  • Localized cases (the cancer has not spread): 81%
  • Regional cases (cancer has spread to nearby areas such as the lymph nodes): 56%
  • Distant cases (cancer has spread to distant parts of the body, such as the lungs): 15%

The five-year bone sarcoma survival rates are as follows for its different stages*:

  • Localized cases (the cancer has not spread outside of the bone): 91%
  • Distant cases (cancer has spread to distant parts of the body, such as the lungs or different bones in other parts of the body): 23%

*These survival rates do not include pediatric bone sarcomas cases such as osteosarcoma and Ewing’s sarcoma.

Rates of Recurrence

Chemotherapy and radiation are used to improve outcomes and minimize the risk of recurrence. However, despite these treatments, there are times when the cancer comes back. It can recur in the same location as before (local recurrence) or in different part of the body, such as the lungs (distant recurrence).

This is why we stay vigilant, scheduling follow-up evaluations and imaging with your care team so that if the sarcoma should come back, it can be caught and treated as early as possible.

Palliative Care and Support Groups

Dealing with a sarcoma diagnosis and treatment can be challenging. Winship’s supportive oncology team can provide additional support with the help of counselors, dietitians, social service professionals and others.

In addition, our support group for people with cancer and their loved ones provides an opportunity for you to connect with others who are going through a similar experience.