Radiation Effects on Bone

Post-radiotherapy fragility fractures (caused by weakened bones) are an occasional complication of orthopedic oncology of soft tissue sarcoma patients. Treatment for impending fracture due to radiotherapy does exist in the form of operative stabilization, to prevent the bone from breaking. Without the ability to predict those patients at a higher risk for fracture, indications for treatment are difficult to determine. This study is to determine if there is a correlation between patients undergoing radiotherapy for soft tissue sarcoma and loss of bone density. The study wll evaluate bone loss for short and long term fracture prediction using dual-energy xray, absorptiometry (DEXA \[DXA\]) and computerized tomography scans (CT Scans)