Sarcoma is a rare type of cancer that develops from bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective tissues. It can occur in adults and children and may present in the limbs, trunk, or other parts of the body.
The Northern Regional Sarcoma Service provides comprehensive assessment, diagnosis, and treatment for patients with suspected or confirmed sarcoma across the entirety of the North Island of New Zealand. The service covers the full Te Whatu Ora Northern Region — extending from Cape Reinga in the far north to Wellington in the south — encompassing Northland, Auckland, Waitematā, Counties Manukau, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, and Mid Central.
Based at Auckland City Hospital (Te Toka Tumai Auckland), the Northern Regional Sarcoma Service operates multidisciplinary clinics with input from orthopaedic surgeons, general surgeons, plastic surgeons, oncologists, pathologists, radiologists, and specialist nurses. All patients are reviewed by the Northern Regional Sarcoma Multidisciplinary Meeting (MDM) to ensure coordinated, evidence-based care, in line with the Oncology Clinical Care Programme (OCCP) Sarcoma Tumour Standards (Te Aho o Te Kahu, Cancer Control Agency, 2025).
Types of Sarcoma Treated:
- Bone Sarcomas (e.g., osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma)
- Soft Tissue Sarcomas (e.g., liposarcoma, leiomyosarcoma, synovial sarcoma)
- Rare and complex sarcoma types in both adults and children