Patient Stories

Ralph was diagnosed with stage 4 synovial sarcoma in the right hip with mets to the bilateral lungs in 2018 at the young age of 34. He had been complaining of hip pain for a few years prior to diagnosis, however was always assured it was due to a prior injury (femur fracture from car […]

Diagnosed in 2021 after struggling with breathing. Fluid was initially discovered around her heart, and after draining it, doctors found a 10+ cm synovial sarcoma mass growing behind her heart. Courtney was originally told the tumor was “inoperable” by her care team. Despite her dire prognosis, she chose to undergo six rounds of AIM chemotherapy […]

Diagnosed in January 2022 at the age of 32 after almost three years of intermittent but steadily worsening pain in his left shoulder. The symptoms were misdiagnosed as shoulder impingement, bursitis, and ganglion cyst by several physicians. A “whoops surgery” had already been scheduled, but after two failed aspiration attempts for the supposed cyst, a […]

Originally misdiagnosed as having small cell osteosarcoma, a 5+ cm high-grade tumor was found in her left thigh invading the femur. She completed four rounds of high-dose doxorubicin (outpatient) and four doses of intra-arterial cisplatin (inpatient). Limb-sparing surgery with allograft tumor removal was performed in June 2009 with clear margins but not enough necrosis to […]

Diagnosed with synovial sarcoma of the lower middle left lung lobe (4.8 cm) in April 2020. She had zero symptoms, and the tumor was found by accident. The lower left lobe was removed through Northern Kaiser California by thoracic surgeon Dr. Jeffrey Velotta (not a sarcoma specialist, as she didn’t know it was synovial sarcoma […]

Diagnosed with synovial sarcoma in the right arm growing into his median nerve in November 2002 at age 37. A 5 cm tumor was removed at a local hospital after being assured it was a ‘fluid-filled benign cyst.’ Pathology determined it was synovial sarcoma. Steven sought treatment at MD Anderson and received care locally at […]

Diagnosed in July 2021 after discovering a cyst-like bump behind her left knee, initially assumed to be a sports-related injury. After a month of testing, scans, and a biopsy, a 7 cm synovial sarcoma was confirmed. It was localized and had not spread. Jena chose treatment at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia with Dr. […]

Diagnosed in August 2021 after experiencing a small cough she attributed to “summer allergies.” Her family doctor listened to her lungs and said, “I don’t hear anything.” But Lisa had what she refers to as a “divine intuition” and requested an X-ray. The X-ray spotted a mass, and she was rushed to a CT scan, […]

Diagnosed in November 2021 at age 36 after experiencing severe neck pain and noticing a palpable lump. A 5 cm synovial sarcoma tumor was found at the base of his skull. Dr. Yash Patil with UC Health successfully removed the tumor, along with some of the skull and surrounding musculature. After clear margins were achieved, […]

Diagnosed with synovial sarcoma in the left knee in August 2018 at the age of 8. She was misdiagnosed by multiple physicians for two years. A local surgeon agreed to remove the 3 cm tumor, and a biopsy revealed synovial sarcoma with positive surgical margins. The tumor was superficially located directly on top of her […]