Liposarcoma

Treatment

The following treatment options are available to patients at Mayo Clinic. Specific treatment decisions will be considered based on each patient's unique condition.

Surgery

Physicians at Mayo Clinic typically recommend that liposarcomas be surgically removed whenever possible. Surgeons try to remove the primary cancer completely while minimizing the impact on the function and appearance of the affected part of the body. Patients who undergo surgery receive a thorough evaluation by an anesthesiologist prior to surgery. If a patient will benefit from chemotherapy or radiation prior to or after surgery, medical and radiation oncologists work with the surgeon to coordinate the most appropriate plan for treatment.

Chemotherapy

Mayo Clinic doctors use chemotherapy to treat cancers that have metastasized to other parts of the body and in other specific clinical situations. Specific treatment protocols are developed based on a patient's medical situation.

Radiation Therapy

High-energy radiation is aimed into tissues containing the liposarcoma to shrink tumors. Depending upon tumor size, shape and location, radiation oncologists are able to treat tumors using 3D conformal radiation therapy or intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). When used in conjunction with surgery and/or chemotherapy, radiation can improve the long-term outcome for liposarcoma patients.