Speakers: Benjamin J. Miller, MD, MS, FAAOS, Associate Professor, University of Iowa, Department of Ortho and Rehab
Why is sarcoma research needed year-round?
Benjamin J. Miller, MD, MS, FAAOS: There's two big reasons that we need to do more research in sarcoma. And it kind of goes to the two major outcomes that we're trying to optimize after treatment of sarcoma. So one is that we're trying to make lives longer. So we're trying to work for more cures, ways to completely eradicate sarcoma or we're trying to look for ways to prolong life. So people who are living with sarcoma can live as long as they possibly can. The other side of sarcoma research and the side that is not thought about as much as the cure side, is we're trying to make people's lives better. And this is really important in the sarcoma world and specifically to orthopedic oncologists who take care of sarcoma. Because the surgical procedures that we have, we're really trying to make quality of life and make function, make pain control as good as it can possibly be. And most of the innovations that we've had over the past several decades and orthopedic oncology have been just to this, improving surgical techniques, improving reconstructive options and improving materials, prostheses, improving the function of people with amputated limbs and external prosthetics that that need to be worn. And it's very important obviously that this is a continual process that even though we recognize Sarcoma Month, and we'd like to talk about it and increase awareness and all these things are great. This is really a yearlong process and there's many clinicians and researchers who work together to try to sort these problems out. How to think of better treatments for sarcoma, how to improve cure rates. But also to think about survivorship, to think about giving people the most durable reconstructions, the most functional reconstructions, for the longest period of time.
