Orthopaedic oncology is a\u00a0relatively rare subspecialty\u2014but\u00a0not at Cooper. Three fellowship-trained\u00a0orthopaedic oncologists\u00a0are part of the Cooper Bone and\u00a0Joint Institute and MD Anderson\u00a0Cancer Center at Cooper, a\u00a0testament to the exceptional depth\u00a0of clinical expertise available\u00a0here for adults and children with\u00a0benign and malignant bone and soft tissue tumors.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re the only orthopaedic\u00a0oncology group in South Jersey,\u00a0and we see the largest volume of\u00a0orthopaedic oncology patients in\u00a0the entire Delaware Valley,\u201d says\u00a0Tae Won Kim, MD, who co-directs\u00a0Cooper\u2019s Orthopaedic Oncology\u00a0Center with the nationally renowned\u00a0Richard D. Lackman, MD, FACS. More\u00a0recently, attending orthopaedic oncologist\u00a0Christina J. Gutowski, MD, MPH, joined the practice.<\/p>\n
Recent advances in their field are notable.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the major new diagnostic tools\u00a0we\u2019re using is genetic profiling\u2014testing\u00a0tumors for mutations to see if a targeted\u00a0therapy is appropriate,\u201d Dr. Kim says. \u201cAnd\u00a0we\u2019re using more PET scans in staging\u00a0and evaluating how tumors respond to chemotherapy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMusculoskeletal imaging is enabling us\u00a0to visualize tumors in a much more precise\u00a0way, so we can more clearly elucidate what\u00a0structures are involved and determine\u00a0whether limb salvage is possible,\u201d Dr.\u00a0Gutowski adds, noting that with today\u2019s\u00a0techniques and technology, limb salvage\u00a0is \u201cmore often than not an option over amputation for these tumors.\u201d<\/p>\n
When it comes to treating orthopaedic cancers, the options\u00a0continue to expand and improve.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re working with radiation\u00a0oncologist Gregory J. Kubicek, MD, using\u00a0CyberKnife\u00ae radiosurgery for treating\u00a0soft-tissue sarcomas,\u201d Dr. Kim says. \u201cThis\u00a0allows us to deliver similar dose radiation in\u00a0roughly one-third the time, so rather than\u00a0five to six weeks of radiation therapy, patients can complete the treatment in two weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe also have newer systemic and\u00a0targeted treatments for both primary\u00a0and metastatic disease,\u201d Dr. Gutowski\u00a0says. Plus, through its partnership with\u00a0MD Anderson and participation in the\u00a0Sarcoma Alliance for Research through\u00a0Collaboration (SARC), Cooper is bringing\u00a0national clinical trials to South Jersey to test novel chemotherapeutic agents.<\/p>\n
On the surgical front, Cooper\u2019s\u00a0orthopaedic oncologists are using enhanced\u00a0nutrition and post-op protocols to improve\u00a0recovery after major sarcoma surgery, enrolling\u00a0all surgical patients in specialized\u00a0\u201cprehab\u201d and rehab programs. And\u00a0they are investigating the role of bone\u00a0transportation in reconstruction\u2014\u00a0transporting local bone to make up the defect caused by a tumor.<\/p>\n
In addition, advanced implants\u00a0and prostheses are improving\u00a0postsurgical outcomes for both adults and children.<\/p>\n
\u201cNew implants were recently\u00a0FDA-approved for complex shoulder\u00a0reconstruction after massive tumor\u00a0resection,\u201d says Dr. Gutowski, \u201cand\u00a0they\u2019re proving more functional and durable for the long term.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe also now have noninvasive\u00a0\u2018growing prostheses\u2019 that allow for a child\u2019s implant to grow like their\u00a0limb normally would, so there\u2019s no limb-length\u00a0discrepancy after we remove a portion\u00a0of a femur, for example,\u201d she continues. \u201cIt\u2019s really amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n
The foundation of the orthopaedic\u00a0oncology group\u2019s effectiveness is its\u00a0collaborative, multi-disciplinary approach to care\u2014one that places the patient at the center.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have an interdisciplinary tumor\u00a0board conference that meets weekly to\u00a0discuss individual patients,\u201d Dr. Kim says. \u201cIt\u00a0includes our team of orthopaedic oncologists\u00a0as well as radiation oncologists, medical\u00a0oncologists, musculoskeletal radiologists,\u00a0and pathologists who are specially trained in\u00a0these rare types of orthopaedic cancers.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe treat all patients like our own\u00a0family,\u201d he continues. \u201cWe\u2019d never make\u00a0a recommendation to a patient that we wouldn\u2019t make to a loved one.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd we\u2019re committed to working\u00a0closely with referring physicians, keeping\u00a0them in the loop about their patients,\u201d he\u00a0adds. \u201cOur practice exists because we\u00a0follow this model.\u201d<\/p>\n
For more information on Cooper\u2019s orthopaedic oncology\u00a0program, or to refer a patient, please call 856.361.1754.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Orthopaedic oncology is a\u00a0relatively rare subspecialty\u2014but\u00a0not at Cooper. Three fellowship-trained\u00a0orthopaedic oncologists\u00a0are part of the Cooper Bone and\u00a0Joint Institute and MD Anderson\u00a0Cancer Center at Cooper, a\u00a0testament to the exceptional depth\u00a0of clinical expertise available\u00a0here for adults and children with\u00a0benign and malignant bone and soft tissue tumors. \u201cWe\u2019re the only orthopaedic\u00a0oncology group in South Jersey,\u00a0and we see the … [Read more…]<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[55],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"entry","1":"post","2":"publish","3":"author-rmineo","4":"post-1760","6":"format-standard","7":"category-new-initiatives"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cooperhealth.org\/sjmedicalreport\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1760","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cooperhealth.org\/sjmedicalreport\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cooperhealth.org\/sjmedicalreport\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cooperhealth.org\/sjmedicalreport\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cooperhealth.org\/sjmedicalreport\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1760"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cooperhealth.org\/sjmedicalreport\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1760\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1761,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cooperhealth.org\/sjmedicalreport\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1760\/revisions\/1761"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cooperhealth.org\/sjmedicalreport\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1760"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cooperhealth.org\/sjmedicalreport\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1760"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cooperhealth.org\/sjmedicalreport\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1760"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}