A sarcoma MDT refers to a Sarcoma Multidisciplinary Team. It is a group of healthcare professionals from different specialties who come together to discuss and collaborate on the diagnosis, treatment, and management of sarcoma patients.

​

Sarcomas are a group of rare cancers that originate in the connective tissues of the body, such as bones, muscles, cartilage, and blood vessels. Due to their complexity and diverse nature, sarcomas often require input from multiple healthcare disciplines to provide optimal care.

​

Typically, a sarcoma MDT includes specialists such as sarcoma surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, pathologists, radiologists, and specialist nurses. They discuss individual patient cases, review clinical information, pathology results, imaging studies, and other relevant data to collectively develop a comprehensive treatment plan.

​

The purpose of a sarcoma MDT is to provide a collaborative approach to care, ensuring that patients receive the most appropriate treatment strategies based on their specific condition. This multidisciplinary approach helps in evaluating all available options, considering potential risks and benefits to achieve the best outcome for sarcoma patients. Often, external opinions from our pathology colleagues in Europe and America are sought in order to determine the correct sarcoma subtype. Having the correct diagnosis from the beginning is crucial to determining the treatment pathway, despite any delays that may occur when obtaining external opinions.

​

Patients who have been diagnosed with a bone sarcoma of the pelvis or spinal areas will be referred to the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Birmingham for MDT and surgical evaluation and resection. Currently in Ireland these types of surgeries are not performed in the country however patients will rehabilitate in Ireland upon repatriation post surgery. The cost of surgery in Birmingham is covered by the Treatment Abroad Scheme (TAS) however this does not extend to cover the cost of travel or accommodation for family members or carers. Click HERE to find out more about the Treatment Abroad Scheme.