Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute Joins Elite Global Registry to Fight Sarcoma

Less than 5% of all cancer centers around the world qualify for inclusion in the Sarcoma Alliance for Research through Collaboration (SARC).

 

Tampa, FL (Aug. 29, 2024) – Sarcoma is a rare and often deadly cancer that can rapidly grow from bone or soft tissue in any area of the body. Due to its rarity and wide range of subtypes, the availability of clinical trials that lead to effective treatments are limited. To help patients who have been diagnosed with sarcoma, the Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute has taken a crucial step in driving innovation and research.

 

The TGH Cancer Institute’s Sarcoma Center of Excellence has been accepted into the Sarcoma Alliance for Research through Collaboration (SARC), a world-renowned, nonprofit cancer research organization. It was founded to encourage partnership among major cancer centers, researchers and clinicians to find a cure for all sarcoma types.

With less than 5% of all cancer centers in the world qualifying for membership in SARC, the TGH Cancer Institute has joined an elite group in the fight against sarcoma.

“This recognition is more than an accolade − it’s an opportunity to provide our sarcoma patients access to innovative research on a global level,” said Dr. Victoria Rizk, medical oncologist and clinical director of the TGH Cancer Institute Sarcoma Center of Excellence. “This honor would not be possible without the unwavering dedication of our sarcoma specialists, nurses, team members and patients.”

To achieve inclusion into SARC, the TGH Cancer Institute met a strict list of criteria that included:

• Expertise in sarcoma and its treatment
• Multidisciplinary team approach
• Access to a multidisciplinary tumor board
• Leadership in clinical trials
• Geographic location and reach to underrepresented regions
• Programmatic support for patients and caregivers

The TGH Cancer Institute Sarcoma Center of Excellence is comprised of multidisciplinary sarcoma specialists, nurse navigators, psychologists, geneticists, dietitians, social workers and fertility counselors.

“It’s an honor to be part of this registry because it recognizes our approach to sarcoma and the research-driven nationally recognized cancer program we have developed,’’ said Dr. Eduardo Sotomayor, vice president and executive director, TGH Cancer Institute. “It’s part of our focus on driving innovation to provide world-class cancer care.’’

Sarcoma is a type of cancer that begins in bone or soft tissues, including cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, fibrous tissue or other connective or supportive tissue. The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates that there are about 15,000 newly diagnosed cases of sarcoma in the United States each year, compared with nearly 2 million cases of all other types of cancer. Sarcomas are relatively more common among children, accounting for 15% of pediatric cancers, but become less frequent with increasing age, accounting for approximately 1% of all adult cancers.

However, the fact is that experts have identified more than 80 different forms of sarcoma creates significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.

“This elevates the standing of our Sarcoma Center, and takes it to a new level,’’ said Dr. Timothy Nywening, assistant professor in the Division of Surgical Oncology at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine and a surgical oncologist at Tampa General.

The TGH Cancer Institute Sarcoma Center of Excellence offers comprehensive diagnostic treatment services for more than 70 types of bone and soft tissue sarcoma. A nurse navigator guides patients through their sarcoma journey to inform and support them throughout their diagnosis, treatment and recovery.

“Because it’s such a rare disease, many cancer centers don’t have a sufficient number of patients to result in meaningful data in a research trial,’’ said Dr. Abraham Schwarzberg, executive vice president, chief of Oncology, president of the Tampa General Provider Network, and co-vice president of Clinical and Translational Research, TGH-USF Health Office of Clinical Research. “This inclusion to the registry also emphasizes our focus on meeting the needs of every single patient.’’

One of Florida's few cancer centers backed by academic medicine, the TGH Cancer Institute ranks among the nation’s top 50 cancer centers in U.S. News & World Report's 2024-2025 Best Hospitals. The Institute provides comprehensive care via groundbreaking therapies, advanced diagnostic imaging tools and a highly coordinated, interdisciplinary approach to world-class patient care. It is certified by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer Accreditation and is named one of America's Best Cancer Hospitals by Newsweek. For more information about the TGH Cancer Institute, visit www.tgh.org/cancer.