Information for Clinicians

All patients from across the peninsula suspected of having a soft tissue sarcoma should be referred as a ‘2-week wait’ to the nearest specialist sarcoma diagnostic centre for ultrasound scan. These are performed by Consultant MSK radiologists and core members of the sarcoma MDT at both The Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro and Derriford Hospital, Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust, Plymouth.

PATIENTS SHOULD NOT BE SENT TO ANY OTHER IMAGING SERVICE.

Soft tissue sarcomas should be suspected when patients present with any of the following features in line with national guidelines:

• Lump deep to the deep fascia
• Painful lump
• Lump bigger than 5cm
• Lump rapidly growing in size

However in our experience sarcomas can be found within the skin and soft tissues as often as those deep to the fascia, and will of course start off as lumps smaller than 5cm.  In fact most are also painless.  Therefore any new and unexplained lump, rapidly growing in size should be suspected and sent for urgent ultrasound.

If benign disease is diagnosed from imaging alone, a letter documenting the findings will be sent from the diagnostic clinic to the referring clinician.

If sarcoma is suspected patients will undergo further imaging and or biopsy and discussed at the next sarcoma MDT. Correspondence will be provided in the form of a letter to the referring clinician.  The Clinical Nurse Specialist for the Sarcoma Team will be on hand to speak with the patient and provide onward support and will liaise with the referring clinician.

ANY SARCOMA DIAGNOSED OUTSIDE OF THE SARCOMA SERVICE SHOULD BE DISCUSSED WITH THE SARCOMA NURSE CONSULTANT LIZ RIDGWAY AS A MATTER OF URGENCY.

Contact details for the Clinical Nurse Specialist team are provided here:

Derriford Hospital (Plymouth):

Elizabeth Ridgway
Consultant Nurse Specialist
liz.ridgway@nhs.net
Bleep 0290

Jessica Clarke
Clinical Nurse Specialist
jessicaclarke1@nhs.net

Royal Cornwall Hospital Truro:

Ben Casey
Clinical Nurse Specialist
benjamincasey@nhs.net
Mobile: 07967 615534

Specialist Soft Tissue Sarcoma MDT Co-Ordinator:
Charlotte Perkins
charlotteperkins@nhs.net
Telephone: 01752 437514

Secretarial Support to the Sarcoma MDT:
Gabriella Bateman
gabriella.bateman@nhs.net
Telephone: 01752 431519