Dr. Dhir on Diagnostic Challenges in Sarcoma

Aditi Dhir, MD, clinical assistant professor, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Health System, discusses the challenges of diagnosing patients with sarcoma.

Although many sarcomas are aggressive, they can be slow growing because they are rooted in deeper tissues, says Dhir. As such, the average time to diagnose sarcoma ranges from a few months to 1 year, depending on the tumor location and associated symptoms, Dhir explains.

Notably, when a sarcoma diagnosis is confirmed, it is important to obtain a core biopsy rather than an excisional biopsy. Core biopsies can shed light on the true extent of the disease and minimize the risk of incomplete resection or positive surgical margins, which can influence treatment, concludes Dhir.