Treatment at Mayo Clinic

By Mayo Clinic Staff



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Treatment for Ewing's sarcoma may include:

  • Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. Doctors often recommend chemotherapy before surgery to shrink Ewing's sarcoma tumors and make them easier to remove. Chemotherapy may continue after surgery to kill any cancer cells that might remain in the body.
  • Radiation therapy. Radiation therapy uses high-energy beams, such as X-rays, to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy may be used after surgery to kill any cancer cells that remain. Radiation therapy can also be used instead of surgery if your Ewing's sarcoma is located in a part of your body that makes surgery risky or difficult. Radiation therapy is also used to relieve pain caused by Ewing's sarcoma.
  • Surgery. The goal of surgery is to remove the cancer cells, but surgeons also perform operations to maintain function and minimize disability. Surgery for Ewing's sarcoma may involve removing a small portion of bone or removing an entire limb.

    Mayo Clinic has significant experience in limb-saving techniques, and if the tumor involves an arm or leg, most of the time the limb can be saved. The possibility of saving the limb depends on several factors, such as the tumor's size, location and its response to chemotherapy.

Related video

Watch Carola Arndt, M.D., from Mayo Clinic discuss Ewing’s sarcoma, including evaluation, diagnosis and treatment approaches at Mayo Clinic.

June 06, 2014

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