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The Sarcoma and Musculoskeletal Tumour Unit at SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital is one of the most specialised in both national and international terms.
We are a highly specialised unit for the diagnosis and treatment of bone and soft tissue tumours in childhood and adolescence. As these are uncommon conditions, it is not common to find services with specific experience in this area. However, at SJD Barcelona we have accumulated a high level of clinical knowledge over the years, which has allowed us to develop a unit that is recognised both nationally and internationally. This specialisation contributes to improving diagnostic accuracy and optimising the effectiveness of treatments for this type of tumour.
Our team is made up of professionals from different specialities with extensive experience, which allows us to offer multidisciplinary, personalised care of a high level of complexity and quality. We work in a coordinated way to address each case, taking into account the patient's characteristics, their age and the type of tumour.
The unit is part of the SJD Pediatric Cancer Centre Barcelona, one of the leading centres for paediatric oncology in Europe and internationally.
Accreditations
- ERN PaedCan: ERN PaedCan works to reduce inequalities in childhood cancer survival by providing high-quality, accessible and efficient cross-border healthcare to children and adolescents with cancer, regardless of where they live.
- The different professionals who are part of the Unit have received awards and recognition for their clinical and research work.
What are sarcomas and musculoskeletal tumours?
Musculoskeletal tumours affect the bones, muscles and soft tissues. Malignant tumours generally exhibit local aggressiveness and the ability to spread to other parts of the body. Among malignant tumours are sarcomas, which can develop in both bone and soft tissue; for this reason, there are bone sarcomas and soft tissue sarcomas. Although they are uncommon compared to other types of tumours, they require a specialised diagnosis.
These conditions present great diversity, both in their progression and their treatment, which makes a personalised approach tailored to each child's or adolescent's development essential. At SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital, we have one of the few units in Europe with specific experience in this field.
Why SJD Barcelona?
The Sarcoma and Musculoskeletal Tumour Unit at SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital is a centre of excellence in the diagnosis and treatment of these conditions and is widely recognised both nationally and internationally.
The SJD Barcelona team has extensive experience in low-incidence, high-complexity conditions, and offers expert, highly qualified care.
Professionals in paediatric oncology, surgery, radiology, interventional radiology, rehabilitation, palliative care, psychology, pathology, nuclear medicine, molecular biology, radiotherapy and other specialities work in a coordinated manner to provide the best approach.
We have advanced techniques in oncological surgery and reconstruction procedures, tailored to the needs of each patient.
The Unit has consolidated its position as a centre of excellence thanks to over 30 years of accumulated experience in the treatment of musculoskeletal tumours, the continuous growth in its activity and the increasing complexity of the cases treated, as well as its active participation in multiple scientific events and organisations, collaborative groups and families' associations.
We support the patient, both national and international, and their family throughout the entire care process, including long-term follow-up.
Infrastructure
The SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital has a highly specialised infrastructure for the treatment of paediatric musculoskeletal tumours. The centre has oncological operating theatres equipped with advanced diagnostic and surgical technology, allowing complex procedures to be carried out with greater precision and safety. Furthermore, integration with the 3D Planning Unit facilitates surgical simulation and the personalised planning of complex resections and reconstructions, optimising limb preservation strategies and reducing functional sequelae.
The centre's infrastructure also includes high-tech translational research and molecular diagnostics laboratories, where genomic studies and personalised therapies are developed and applied directly to patients. Furthermore, the SJD Pediatric Cancer Centre Barcelona has a paediatric tumour bank, which is essential for the development of new therapeutic strategies. The hospital also has access to the Tissue Bank to obtain grafts for reconstructive surgery and limb preservation procedures.
Team
The Sarcoma and Musculoskeletal Tumour Unit at SJD Barcelona is coordinated by Dr Ferran Torner, a paediatric orthopaedic surgeon and traumatologist. In addition to the core team, which is made up of the heads of various hospital departments, the Unit works with many other professionals at the centre involved in the treatments, who form this multidisciplinary team.
Research
The Unit combines clinical care with research and training. We participate in clinical and basic research projects focused on sarcomas and other musculoskeletal tumours, including areas such as genomics and the development of new therapies in paediatric oncology. The Unit's professionals contribute to scientific publications, attend conferences and undertake specific training in this field.
The Sant Joan de Déu Research Institute has a research group dedicated to sarcomas, led by Dr Jaume Mora, a paediatric oncologist and the scientific director of the SJD Pediatric Cancer Center Barcelona.
Highlights
The European Musculo-Skeletal Oncology Society (EMSOS) is a European scientific society dedicated to advancing the diagnosis, treatment and research of musculoskeletal tumours and sarcomas, and promotes collaboration between specialists. Each year, it organises an international congress that brings together experts from around the world to share scientific advances, new technologies and therapeutic strategies in the management of these conditions.
The 39th annual meeting will be held in Barcelona in 2027 and will be organised by SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital, as a European centre of reference in paediatric musculoskeletal oncology.
