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About RPA Sarcoma Service
The Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Bone and Soft Tissue Sarcoma Unit (The RPA Sarcoma Service) is recognised as a world leader in the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of patients with known, or suspected sarcoma.
The service offers individualised care for patients, based on current, evidenced-based practice.
As one of six sarcoma services in Australia, the RPA Sarcoma Service receives referrals from across NSW and Australia. The RPA Sarcoma Service is responsible for more than 80 per cent of primary bone sarcoma and 40 per cent of soft tissue sarcoma care for adults in NSW.
Established for more than 30 years, the RPA Sarcoma Service comprises nationally and internationally renowned specialists across the key areas of sarcoma diagnosis and treatment.
Partnering to provide excellence in patient care
The RPA Sarcoma Service is led by clinicians at RPA, who coordinate the service across multiple sites in Sydney, including RPA, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, Sydney Children’s Hospital Network at Randwick and Westmead and North Shore Private Hospital.
Our aim is to ensure patients and their families receive care at the facility most appropriate for their treatment and care.
The service is also dedicated to research about the disease through the Surgical Outcomes Research Centre.
Sarcoma Summit
In September 2023, Sydney Local Health District hosted a Sarcoma Summit at RPA Hospital to unite patients, clinicians and researchers. The summit was the first of its kind to be held in Australia. It focused on building a stronger understanding between patients, families, clinicians and researchers to enhance partnerships to improve patient care.
A Sarcoma Prospectus and website were launched at the summit and an action plan was developed to continue the work started to improve the experiences of patients and their loved ones.
Sarcoma Summit Action Plan
| Theme | Action |
| Access to services outside of normal hours / service enhancement |
rpavirtual Model of Care, advice on:
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| Time with patients / service enhancement |
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| Access to information / education |
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| Support for patients, families and friends |
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About Sarcoma
Sarcomas are cancers that start in the bone or soft tissues. Each year, 700 people are diagnosed with sarcoma in NSW.
A sarcoma is a malignant tumour derived from cancerous bone, cartilage, fat, muscle and vascular or hematopoietic tissues. Sarcoma is considered a rare cancer. Sarcoma affects around one per cent of adults with cancer. Sarcoma is much more prevalent in younger people, comprising of between 10 and 20 per cent of cancers in teenagers and young adults. This makes it one of the most common cancers in young people.
Sarcomas can form anywhere in the body and are frequently hidden deep in the limbs. They are often misdiagnosed as a benign (non-cancerous) lump, or as a sporting injury or growing pains in young people.
There are more than 80 different subtypes of sarcoma, many of which have distinct clinical characteristics with unique natural history and tumour biology. These sarcomas have well-established treatment protocols, refined through sequential international clinical trials, and the recommended treatments are tailored to each patient’s individual case.
| The majority of sarcomas in Paediatric, Adolescents and Young Adults include: |
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| The most common sarcomas in older adults include: |
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These rare cancers account for:
20% of the paediatric cancer population
10% of the adolescent and young adult cancer populations
1% of the adult cancer population
Whole genome sequencing indicates there are significant familial risk factors for sarcoma, meaning at-risk people and their families can potentially be identified earlier and receive tailored care.
Soft Tissue Sarcoma
Soft tissue sarcoma is a rare type of sarcoma that develops in connective tissues such as fats, muscles, nerves, deep skin tissues and blood vessels. These tissues support and connect all the organs and structures of the body.
Usually forming first as a painless lump (tumour), soft tissue sarcoma is most commonly developed in the thigh, shoulder and pelvis. Sometimes they can grow in the abdomen or chest (trunk).
There are more than 70 different subtypes of soft tissue sarcoma and they are named after the abnormal cells that make up the sarcoma.
The most common subtype of soft tissue sarcoma include:
- Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma from abnormal spindle-shaped cells
- Liposarcoma from fat tissue
- Leiomyosarcoma and Rhabdomyosarcoma from muscle tissues
- Angiosarcoma from blood vessels
- Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumour (MPNST or PNST)
- Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumour sarcoma (GIST)
- Synovial sarcoma
Bone Sarcoma
Bone sarcoma is a rare type of cancer that arises from bone and cartilage, commonly presenting with a painful lump (tumour) in limbs. The most common places where bone sarcoma develops are around the knee, wrist, shoulder and pelvis.
About 200 Australians are diagnosed with bone sarcoma each year; it is more common among children, youth and young adults. Bone sarcoma is different from secondary bone cancer, which is cancer that spreads to the bones after developing in another part of the body.
The most common subtypes of bone sarcoma include:
| Osteosarcoma (accounts for about 35 per cent of all bone Sarcoma) |
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| Chondrosarcoma (accounts for about 30 per cent of bone sarcoma) |
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| Ewing sarcoma (accounts for about 15 per cent of bone sarcoma) |
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To learn more about sarcoma, visit the Australia and New Zealand Sarcoma Association.