Sarcoma is a very rare type of cancer that comes from the middle part of the embryo known as the mesenchyme. For the non scientist, in the embryo there are 3 layers of tissue, the ectoderm, which is on the outside and includes cancers like skin, breast, brain and melanoma, while the endoderm (or the inside) covers conditions such as bowel cancer, renal cancer and prostate cancer. It is in the middle layer between these 2 layers that the mesenchyme (sometimes called mesoderm) exists. Structural and locomotor devices such as bones and muscles and their associated nerves, blood vessels and lymphatics arise from this layer. It is in this layer (like a sandwich) that a sarcoma also arises. There are more than 600 different histological types of sarcoma and even then, the more common ones are still very rare. Getting the right diagnosis through modern radiology and pathology services combined with biopsy represents the single most important factor in getting the right treatemnt to help you get a good outcome. The right diagnosis equals the right treatment.
Sarcoma care has its best results when done in centres of excellence by experienced multidisciplinary teams. As a board member of the Australia New Zealand Sarcoma Association (ANZSA), Professor Steadman has assisted with the designation and centralisation of high-quality care in centres that combine multidisciplinary meetings along with innovative trails and research projects. The Australia New Zealand Sarcoma Association worked with Cancer Australia to designate cancer care guidelines for sarcoma.
Internationally as the past Vice Chair of international sarcoma education for the International Society of Limb Salvage (ISOLS.com) and President elect, he understands international advances in sarcoma and the issues of complex care and getting you connected with the best outcome through networking.
With a strong understanding of international networking, he is the conference president for the Brisbane ISOLS meeting in October 2024. WWW.ISOLS.COM
If you are interested in studying the best treatment protocols for your condition, visit https://wiki.cancer.org.au/australia/Guidelines:Sarcoma. The guidelines are about to be updated to provide the most up to date evidenced based care by ANZSA working with Cancer Australia in 2021.
