What is Orthopedic Oncology? Who is an Orthopedic Oncologist?
Orthopedic oncology is a branch of medicine where oncology and orthopedics overlap. An orthopedic oncologist specializes in diagnosis and management of cancers and tumors of bone and soft tissues/ muscles. The need for this specialized field arises from the fact that bone tumors form only a small proportion of general orthopedic practice while sarcomas (primary bone and muscle cancers) form only 1% of all cancers. This rarity of these cancers means that these patients will be seen only once in a long while by a general orthopedic surgeon or a general oncologist. It has been shown in many studies that the outcome of bone and muscle tumors is significantly better when managed by an orthopedic oncologist, both in terms of cure from cancer and maximum function.
Not just that, even pathologists and radiologists are far less likely to make mistakes in diagnosing these rare cancers if they specialize in sarcomas. Orthopedic oncologists are mostly part of a larger multidisciplinary team who work together to bring out the best treatment for patients having bone and soft tissue tumors. There has been tremendous progress in the field of orthopedic oncology in the past few decades. More than 90 percent of patients with bone cancer now undergo a limb saving surgery, and amputations are now rarely performed. The cure rates of these cancers have also greatly improved with the advancements in diagnostics, surgery and chemotherapy. The conditions that one should to see an orthopedic oncologist for, include: