Investigational Drug Study For Patients With Rhabdomyosarcoma
Seeking male & female patients who have been diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma (cancer that forms in the soft tissues, such as muscle).
Tumors that originate in the bone itself are known as primary bone cancer. The most common type of primary bone cancer is osteosarcoma, where tumors typically develop in bones of the arms, legs, or pelvis. In most cases of bone cancer, however, tumors originate not in the bone itself but in other parts of the body and subsequently spread to the bone. These cases of bone cancer are known as metastatic cancer (or secondary bone cancer) and occur in patients with advanced cancers, for example, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and lung cancer. In soft tissue sarcoma, cancer cells form in the soft tissues of the body, such as fat, muscles, tendons, blood and lymph vessels, nerves, deep skin tissues, and synovial tissues (i.e., tissues around joints). Soft tissue sarcomas can be found in any part of the body. Bone sarcomas are more common among children, whereas soft tissue sarcomas are more common in adults.
At UMass Memorial Health Care, a multi-disciplinary team of orthopedic oncologists, surgical oncologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, cancer rehabilitation specialists, pathologists, and musculoskeletal radiologists have specialized expertise in the diagnosis, evaluation and treatment of benign and malignant bone tumors and soft-tissue tumors.
Learn more about the cancer care services and resources offered for patients with bone or soft tissue tumors at UMass Memorial Health Care.
Researchers at UMass Cancer Center are using comparative genomics—the comparison of complete genome sequences across different species—to identify new genes and potential therapeutic targets for osteosarcoma. Clinical researchers in the Department of Orthopedics & Physical Rehabilitation are carrying out multidisciplinary sarcoma clinical research, and developing exercise programs to treat cancer-related musculoskeletal impairments.
We are a Main Member institution of the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group, a cooperative membership-based scientific organization that designs and conducts cancer research involving adults who have or are at risk of developing cancer. As an ECOG-ACRIN member, we are able to provide patients with access to breast cancer clinical trials being conducted through the National Clinical Trials Network.
Seeking male & female patients who have been diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma (cancer that forms in the soft tissues, such as muscle).