Young Mother with Rare Cancer Surrounded by Experts

Sarah Rouyea, a 29-year-old mother and wife, didn’t worry too much when she began experiencing foot and leg pain in early July 2017. She had fractured her foot several years before and thought the discomfort was merely from this past injury. But there was much more going on in Sarah’s body than she knew. Soon she would learn that she had osteosarcoma, a rare and complex type of bone cancer. Immediately, Sarah began thinking about her family’s future, especially that of her two-year-old daughter, Emry.

That’s when she turned to Dr. Shaun Accardo, a specialist in musculoskeletal oncology, and was soon surrounded by the Cancer Center’s new Sarcoma Specialty Treatment Team. This group, co-chaired by Dr. Accardo and Dr. John Lyons, a surgical oncologist, consists of specialists from many disciplines. They encircle sarcoma patients like Sarah to ensure the most effective outcomes and customized treatment plans to help each person conquer their cancer differently.What is Sarcoma?

Sarcoma is an uncommon group of cancers that arise in the bones, and connective tissue such as fat and muscle. Symptoms depend on tumor type and location. They may include a noticeable lump or pain. According to the National Cancer Institute, sarcomas are not common among any age group. In adults, sarcomas are estimated to be about one percent of all cancers, and approximately 12,000 people a year in the U.S. are diagnosed with the disease.

Sarcomas can be treated by:

• Chemo Therapy
• Radiation
• Surgery
• Targeted Therapies

For more information on the Sarcoma Specialty Team, visit marybirdlake.org/sarcoma.