Oncology Insights with Dr. Petros Grivas - Episode 17

Sarcomas are cancers that develop in connective tissues, including bones, cartilage, muscles, tendons, fibrous tissues, veins, arteries, nerves, skin and fatty tissue.

While there are more than 100 subtypes of the disease, they are rare – together, sarcomas make up just 1% of all new cancer cases.

That’s why it’s important for patients diagnosed with sarcomas to be seen at a dedicated sarcoma center, says Lara, Davis, MD, a medical oncologist at Fred Hutch Cancer Center who has spent the past 15 years exclusively treating patients with sarcomas. Davis, who holds the Anderson Family Endowed Chair in Sarcoma, was recently named head of the Sarcoma Program at Fred Hutch, the only program of its kind in the WWAMI region spanning Washington state, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho.

“We've got good data that says that patients with sarcoma need to be at least seen at a sarcoma center to come up with a treatment plan,” she said. “That actually impacts survival.”

In this episode of the Oncology Insights Podcast, Davis sits down with host Petros Grivas, MD, PhD, FASCO, to discuss the latest treatment advances for sarcomas, ongoing clinical trials, multidisciplinary care and the importance of working with community oncologists to improve patient outcomes.

Main Topics:

Davis’ career journey and expertise in osteosarcoma and sarcoma
The variation and complexity of sarcoma subtypes and their diagnosis
Importance of multidisciplinary teams in managing sarcoma patients
Role of genetic predispositions and germline mutations, including Li-Fraumeni syndrome
Integration of outpatient and inpatient care in chemotherapy delivery
Groundbreaking clinical research and upcoming trials, including CDK4/6 inhibitors and CAR T-cell therapy
Collaboration between academic centers and community practices to improve access and outcomes
Future directions: biomarkers, personalized medicine and novel therapies in sarcoma treatment