Radiation Therapy for Sarcoma

Radiation therapy uses high-energy particles or beams to destroy sarcoma. It is used to treat many types of this disease. Depending on your treatment plan, it may be used before or after surgery. It’s also used to control tumors if surgery is not an option. A physician might use radiation to shrink the tumor to reduce pain and other symptoms, too. 

Sarcoma Care Tailored to You

You and your family are our top priority. At Fred Hutch Cancer Center, we offer comprehensive and compassionate care — personalized to you. You'll have access to the latest treatment options, clinical trials and supportive care services.

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Types of Radiation

Fred Hutch offers a full range of radiation therapy. This includes radiation for soft tissue sarcoma and radiation therapy for adult bone sarcoma.

“In the past, we treated cancer with the maximum dose we could safely deliver,” says Ramesh Rengan, MD, PhD, Professor and Chair of Radiation Oncology, Fred Hutch and UW Medicine. “The new frontier of cancer care is precision medicine — which now includes radiation oncology. Using this approach, we can deliver the right treatment to destroy cancer while minimizing harm to the patient.”

Read the story: Precision radiation oncology is shifting the paradigm of cancer care

Conventional External-Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT)

Conventional EBRT uses a machine called a linear accelerator. This machine sends beams of high-energy X-rays (photons) at the sarcoma to destroy it. The procedure doesn’t hurt. Each treatment of this type of sarcoma radiation therapy takes only a few minutes.

There are several forms of EBRT. Your radiation oncologist will decide which is right for you. They will also set the dosage and schedule your treatments. If you have side effects, they will help you manage them. Usually, EBRT is given five days a week for several weeks.

Intraoperative Radiation Therapy (IORT)

IORT is fast, effective and precise. It is used during surgery. It takes just a few minutes and uses only a fraction of the total radiation given during EBRT.

Proton Therapy

For some types of sarcoma, proton therapy might be recommended. Examples of when it might be used are if:

  • The tumor is close to critical organs 
  • A patient is trying to save their fertility 
  • A patient has had radiation before 
  • The disease is has come back, and radiation is needed several times over many years 

Our proton therapy facility is led by world-class experts in proton therapy. It is the only facility of its kind in the Pacific Northwest. We treat both adults and children at Fred Hutch Cancer Center - Proton Therapy.

Learn more about  proton therapy.

Fast Neutron Therapy

Sometimes neutron therapy is used to treat sarcomas. This is usually when it would be difficult to destroy using regular radiation. 

Neutrons are tiny particles smaller than an atom that attack cancer cells. Neutron beams are much more powerful than traditional radiation. They deliver about 20 to 100 times more energy into the cancerous tissue than traditional radiation. 

They are also more likely to damage both strands of a cancer cell’s DNA, rather than only one. This makes it harder for the cells to repair themselves and survive. 

Fred Hutch is the only place in the U.S. to offer neutron therapy. The physicians who perform it are internationally renowned experts in this treatment.

Dr. Michael R. Folkert
Dr. Michael R. Folkert is a radiation oncologist who specializes in treating soft tissue and bone sarcomas.

Why Choose Fred Hutch for Sarcoma Radiation Therapy

Fred Hutch patients get radiation therapy from leading radiation oncologists who specialize in specific cancers.

Your Fred Hutch radiation oncologist knows the most advanced options for treating your disease and will design a personalized treatment plan to target your tumor. We offer a full range of radiation therapy, including access to the latest and most innovative options through our clinical trials.