The Decision to Use Radiation After Sarcoma Surgery

Dr. Murray Brennan: The decision for or against radiation therapy after an operation is dependent on many factors:

The size of the tumor: Small tumors often can avoid radiation.
The actual cell type: Which tumor is most likely to respond?
And perhaps most importantly: How close are the margins of the removal? Is the normal tissue present between the tumor and the patient. If the margins are contaminated, dirty, then we are more likely to use radiation.
And then finally: What are the risks to the radiation? Which particular part of the body can be treated without damaging important normal tissues?

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