A multidisciplinary team (MDT) is a team of healthcare professionals that will work with each other and with you to plan the treatment that is best for you.

Your sarcoma MDT will be based at a sarcoma specialist centre.

Your team may consist of some of the following people:

Clinical Nurse Specialist – offers support and advice, and acts as an important point of contact for patients when they have a concern

Surgeon – treats cancer through the removal of tumours

Oncologist – a doctor who specialises in cancer treatment other than surgery (e.g. chemotherapy or radiotherapy)

Radiologist – a doctor who specialises in diagnosing medical conditions through scans and images such as x-rays

Histopathologist – a doctor who identifies disease by studying a tissue sample

After discussing your case, your CNS will talk you through your options so you are included in deciding what treatment is best for you.

You may also have treatment and care from other healthcare professionals, such as a physiotherapist, occupational therapist, prosthetist, orthotist, dietician, social worker, or psychologist.

Site-specific MDTs

Some types of sarcoma are treated in MDTs that do not treat sarcoma specifically, but have expertise in treating the part of the body that is affected.

Members of the site-specific MDTs may include:

Orthopaedic surgeon – specialises in surgery of the bones, joints and other structures involved in making the body move

Thoracic surgeon – specialises in surgery of the organs in the chest including the heart, lungs and oesophagus

Plastic surgeon – specialises in reconstruction. They may be involved in the treatment of skin sarcomas or in reconstruction following surgery

Head and neck surgeon – specialises in surgery of the head and neck including the ears, nose and throat, as well as skull-based surgery

Gynaecological oncologist – specialises in treatment other than surgery of cancer of the female reproductive system (e.g. chemotherapy and radiotherapy)

Gynaecological surgeon – specialises in surgery of the female reproductive organs

Gastrointestinal surgeon – specialises in surgery of the GI tract – a long tube running through the body from the oesophagus (gullet) to the anus (back passage)

Vascular surgeon – specialises in surgery of the vascular system

Neurosurgeon – a surgeon who specialises in the treatment of disorders of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and the peripheral nervous system (the nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord)

Last reviewed: 25 October 2022

Next review due: 25 October 2025