The Impact of Pressure Care on Sarcoma Patients
July marks Sarcoma Awareness Month, a time to shed light on one of the lesser-known groups of cancers affecting soft tissue and bone. This year, the spotlight is on healthcare professionals; presenting an opportunity to address the wider clinical implications of sarcoma to patient and caregiver wellbeing, including one that’s too often overlooked: pressure ulcer risk.
It’s important to acknowledge and consider how a sarcoma diagnosis – and its treatment pathway – can heighten vulnerability to pressure ulcers, and what we, as clinicians, can do to prevent these either occurring or progressing.
Sarcoma Patients Are A High-Risk Pressure Ulcer Group
Sarcoma is a rare group of cancers – about 5,300 people in the UK are diagnosed each year, which translates to about 15 new cases per day – but its impact on mobility, skin integrity and overall health can be significant. Many patients face:
- Extended bed rest – following surgery or during palliative phases
- Compromised tissue viability – due to radiotherapy or surgical excision
- Changes in body weight and muscle mass – reducing natural pressure redistribution
- Reduced nutritional intake – impacting wound healing capacity
These factors place sarcoma patients firmly in a high-risk category for pressure damage, leaving them extremely vulnerable to pressure ulcers – especially in hospital, hospice, or home-based care settings where a patient’s mobility may be significantly limited.
What Should Pressure Care Look Like?
For Sarcoma patients, a proactive, individual approach is key to pressure care management. For clinical teams and healthcare professionals, this means:
- Early risk assessments – using tools adapted specifically to and for oncology care
- Close collaboration – with tissue viability nurses and occupational therapists for the best outcomes
- Appropriate offloading solutions – from dynamic mattresses to bespoke seating and positioning cushions
Regular skin checks – particularly in areas affected by surgery or radiotherapy - Empowering patients and their carers – with guidance on repositioning and the early warning signs of damage
It’s also essential that oncology, palliative, and rehabilitation teams include pressure care management solutions as a routine consideration – just as they would pain management or infection control procedures.
Raising Awareness, Improving Outcomes
Sarcoma Awareness Month isn’t just about rare cancer education and awareness – it’s about driving better care from every angle. For us here at Pressure Care Management, this includes keeping pressure ulcer prevention firmly on the agenda.
By integrating pressure care management solutions and specialised products, such as tilt systems or postural positioning cushions, into sarcoma treatment pathways, we can reduce avoidable harm, improve comfort, and contribute to better outcomes for this often underserved patient group.
Let’s use July as a reminder: early, expert intervention matters.
