Multiple myeloma: Approach to Care

Overview

The UF Musculoskeletal Oncology Team provides comprehensive care for bone and soft tissue sarcomas in adults and children, cancer metastatic to bone and soft tissue, and benign bone and soft tissue tumors of the extremities. Malignant bone tumors include osteosarcoma, Ewing’s sarcoma, chondrosarcoma, fibrosarcoma, metastatic carcinoma, myeloma and others. Due to our active research program, we can offer the most recent treatment advances including therapies only available through clinical trials.

Multidisciplinary Treatment Team 

Our team consists of leading orthopaedic surgeons, rehabilitation physicians and basic scientists – many of whom are recognized leaders in their field – in addition to clinical and research fellows, residents, engineers, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, physical therapists, technicians and support personnel. Our multidisciplinary team of specialists meets weekly to carefully review patient information and develop the best possible treatment plan for each individual. In 2008, U.S. News & World Report ranked University of Florida orthopaedic physicians, surgeons and services among the best in the nation. Our patients benefit from numerous services including:

  • Medical oncology
  • Radiation oncology, including proton therapy
  • Pediatric oncology
  • Musculoskeletal radiology
  • Orthopaedic surgery
  • Pathology
  • Weekly tumor board
  • Clinical trial enrollment
  • Psychosocial support
  • Patient educators and resources
  • Spiritual guidance
  • Support groups

State-of-the-Art Technology and Innovative Therapy

Our multidisciplinary team works together to provide a comprehensive evaluation and determine the best course of treatment available. Children with life or limb-threatening tumors from all over the Southeast United States are referred to UF Orthopaedic Oncology for treatment. Our physicians have extensive experience with some rare and challenging forms of osteosarcoma that require special surgical procedures, including rotationplasty, limb salvage surgery and amputation. Clinical outcome investigations now include motion or gait analysis to determine pre and post surgery what is best for each individual patient. The new UF Health Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Institute houses advanced radiology facilities for x-ray, CT and MRI. There is also a 6,000 square foot rehab gym for orthopaedic and sports physical therapy as well as complete hand and upper extremity rehabilitation space.

We are one of the few centers in the world offering proton radiation therapy for pediatric and adult sarcoma patients. Compared to conventional techniques, proton therapy exposes less normal tissue to the harmful effects of radiation. We are also leaders in sarcoma radiotherapy research. In the past five years, the sarcoma group at the University of Florida has published over ten peer–reviewed articles on the role of radiation in the multimodality management of sarcomas. With the availability of both conventional and proton radiotherapy, we are in the unique position to offer local and national protocols for nearly every sarcoma type.