Perioperative Care: Sarcoma and Melanoma

This chapter provides an overview of treatment of retroperitoneal and extremity sarcoma and melanoma. Sequential steps of treatment from diagnosis to postoperative care are discussed. Sarcomas are rare cancers of mesenchymal tissue origin and have specific requirements for diagnosis and workup. Preoperative care can be complicated. Neoadjuvant chemo- and radiotherapy as well as the severity of illness and extent of surgery all impact on the preoperative care and intraoperative risks of the sarcoma patient. Melanoma management has undergone significant changes in recent years. Multiple new systemic therapies and new surgical strategies provide a greatly improved prognosis for stage 3 and 4 melanoma. Risk factors, general management principles, and systemic therapies are reviewed.