Treatment Customized to Your Child’s Needs

Your child’s care plan takes into account if and how far the cancer has spread. At MSK Kids, we usually begin treating Ewing sarcoma with anticancer drugs to shrink the tumor, followed by surgery to remove it. Some children also receive radiation therapy to destroy any remaining cancer cells. Your child’s treatment may include a combination of:

• Chemotherapy to shrink the tumor.
• Surgery to remove the tumor completely. We will make sure that your child can use the affected limb as freely as possible. In some cases, our surgeons can offer special procedures to restore your child’s bone more fully. Learn more.
• Intensity-modulated radiation therapy, a very precise form of radiation therapy. Radiation beams of different intensities are aimed at the tumor from multiple angles to kill cancer cells while sparing nearby healthy tissue.
• Proton therapy. This is an option for some children depending on the location of the tumor. Very narrow intense beams of protons are directed to the tumor but stop once they get there, killing cancer cells without affecting nearby healthy tissues. Your doctor will let you know if this is an option for your child.

What if my child’s tumor comes back?

If your child’s Ewing sarcoma stops responding to treatment, comes back, or spreads to other parts of the body, our team will form a new care plan. Treatment may include more surgery, radiation therapy, or both. Your child may also be eligible to participate in a clinical trial of a new therapy.