An uncommon cancer gets extraordinary treatment at Ohio State, home of one of the nation’s largest sarcoma programs. Retroperitoneal sarcoma is an extremely rare form of the disease, with approximately 2400 diagnoses in the U.S. each year. “It occurs in about 20 percent of all soft tissue sarcomas that we see,” Valerie Grignol, MD, says. “This is rare — it’s very important to be seen by experts.” Click to learn more about sarcoma, including types, symptoms and treatment options at The Ohio State University. Soft tissue sarcomas can form in multiple areas of the body, with retroperitoneal types arising in mesenchymal cells, which make up bones, muscles and blood vessels. The rarity of the condition can present treatment challenges, so access to large, multidisciplinary programs like that at the OSUCCC – James is important for retroperitoneal sarcoma patients. “When patients are treated at an expert center such as The James, they have teams of experts that are going to evaluate them and make treatment plans,” Grignol says. “The James has one of the five largest sarcoma centers in the country based on the volume of cases that we see and the number of specialists we have. We say, ‘There's no routine cancer,’ and that couldn't fit better for sarcomas, particularly in the retroperitoneum. Click for more information about soft tissue sarcomas.