Innovative tech and techniques are revolutionizing the treatment of sarcomas — rare cancers that disproportionately affect younger patients. “Sarcomas can be broken down into two major types — bone sarcoma and soft tissue sarcoma,” says Joel Mayerson, MD, director of the sarcoma program at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James). “Bone sarcoma usually happens in younger patients (teens and young adults), while soft tissue sarcoma is rare in younger people and much more common in patients over 50.” Mayerson’s OSUCCC – James team is one of the most comprehensive in the nation, bringing together experts in surgery, clinical research, medical and radiation oncology and more. “All of our patients are evaluated by the specialists needed to make diagnoses, and once that is made, we confirm it and then we check to see if they're eligible for clinical trials,” Mayerson says. “The entire continuum of cancer care is improving and that’s why it’s important to have a multi-disciplinary team and clinic, so patients have access to all these advances.” Mayerson shares more information about the OSUCCC – James Sarcoma Program on our Cancer Free World Podcast. Watch on the video player above and YouTube, or listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. A renowned sarcoma surgeon, in recent years Mayerson has been utilizing 3D printing to create replacement “bones” for sarcoma patients. “We're using the printers to replace entire bones,” Mayerson says. “We can take the CT scans and the MRI scans, get exact size pieces, and then figure out where we can find anchoring spots in the bone that's left.” The OSUCCC – James sarcoma team is also breaking new ground in care via clinical trials, including a recent study focused on less invasive treatment. “We’ve found that if we give immunotherapy concurrently with radiation therapy, it helps the radiation works better,” Mayerson says. “We have the first proton radiation center in Ohio, and that allows us to hone the beam to a smaller area and damages less tissue.” Click here to learn more about sarcoma, including risks, symptoms and treatment options at The Ohio State University. Ohio State’s sarcoma treatment innovation extends far beyond campus, including a new program that trains doctors in Ecuador inspired by the experience of a young patient who traveled to Columbus for care. “We were asked to help build the program there, and now our sarcoma tumor board helps guide them in treating their patients,” Mayerson says. “This has been one of the most satisfying things I’ve done in my career, to know that we’re impacting patients thousands of miles away.” That commitment to care will continue long into the future, which should continue to help doctors raise the bar for sarcoma treatment across the globe. “Even in the last 25 years, the changes have been amazing, and the next 25 years we’re going to see as much or more,” Mayerson says. “We're able to take advantage of surgical technology improvements to do less invasive surgeries, and our reconstructions are hopefully going to be more durable, allowing people to be more functional for longer and in better ways.” Click here to learn more about cancer clinical trials at the OSUCCC – James.