Dr. William W. Tseng is the Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of Southern California.

What is your favorite part of your job?

Interacting with patients and being able to help them, from relieving their anxiety about this complex and often confusing disease to seeing them sarcoma-free after a surgery I do.

Why is it so crucial to see a sarcoma specialist?

Unfortunately, non-specialists can do the wrong surgery (too much, too little) and give the wrong treatment even without knowing it. Seeing a sarcoma specialist and being cared for by a multidisciplinary team dedicated just to this rare disease ensures that the patient gets the correct and most up-to-date sarcoma treatment available. It also helps us with research and clinical trials in sarcoma that are very important to advance to the field.

What makes you want to get to the office every morning?

The opportunity to make advances in the fight against sarcoma, whether it’s the chance to help a sarcoma patient, improve the way we treat sarcoma, or discuss new research ideas with collaborators. I also enjoy educating others and increasing awareness about sarcoma, including trainees, media and the general public.

What are you excited about in the future of sarcoma treatment?

Collaboration. This refers to collaboration with other sarcoma specialists around the world to share clinical experiences, research findings and drug trial opportunities. This also refers to collaboration with others who are interested in the fight against sarcoma, including patients, families and advocates who sometimes give us additional insights and ideas. Collaboration is how we improve our understanding of this rare disease and hopefully find a cure, together.

Learn more about Dr. Tseng here.