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U.K. Mom’s Fast-Growing Arm Lump Was Liposarcoma, Now Monitored After Surgery and Radiotherapy

New funding aims to spur targeted therapies for a rare cancer with few options.

Overview

  • Laura Isom, 58, sought help after sudden left‑hand dysfunction and a lump that grew to six centimeters within days, leading to a liposarcoma diagnosis via the National Sarcoma Unit.
  • A seven‑hour nerve‑sparing excision at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital on June 4 achieved clear margins, followed by six weeks of radiotherapy at UCLH in August.
  • Initial scans showed lung nodules that remained unchanged on rescan, and she now undergoes chest x‑rays every 12 weeks for surveillance.
  • She has persistent fine‑motor deficits from nerve damage but has returned to full‑time work using adaptations such as an alternative keyboard and dictation.
  • A six‑week wait for specialist radiotherapy prompted her to use private insurance for timely surgery, as her family fundraises and Sarcoma UK invests nearly £400,000 in liposarcoma research led by Dr Zoë Walters.