In this episode of Living With Metastatic Cancer, Dr. Peter Crane interviews Professor Dr. Robin Jones as he shares his career journey from the UK to Seattle and back, the heterogeneity of sarcomas, the importance of the NAB2/STAT6 fusion for accurate SFT diagnosis, emerging site-directed therapies targeting fibroblast activation protein (FAP), anti-angiogenic treatments, and the real-world challenges of research funding and medication access in different healthcare systems. A hopeful and practical conversation for patients, physicians, and researchers dealing with rare cancers.

Episode Highlights

• Dr. Jones’ career path: UK training, five years at Fred Hutchinson/University of Washington in Seattle, and return to The Royal Marsden
• The rarity, heterogeneity, and wide anatomic distribution of sarcomas making diagnosis and trials difficult
• Evolution of solitary fibrous tumor diagnosis from “diagnosis of exclusion” to molecular confirmation via NAB2/STAT6 rearrangement
• Promising FAP-directed therapies (including FAP-activated doxorubicin and radioligands) for more precise tumor targeting
• Anti-angiogenic agents (bevacizumab, pazopanib, sunitinib, cabozantinib) and their variable effectiveness in metastatic SFT
• Challenges of drug access and reimbursement in the UK NHS versus other countries
• Importance of clinical trials, tissue donation to biobanks, and building a “mosaic” of research funding for rare cancers
• Strategic approach to offering clinical trials early in metastatic disease to expand treatment options

Top 3 Takeaways

• Molecular confirmation (e.g., NAB2/STAT6) has transformed SFT from a vague diagnosis of exclusion into a well-defined entity, enabling better research and targeted treatments.
• Site-directed therapies like FAP-targeted approaches represent the future of precision oncology, delivering potent agents (chemotherapy or radiation) directly to tumor cells while sparing healthy tissue.
• For rare cancers, clinical trial participation and tissue donation are powerful ways patients can contribute to progress; trials should often be considered early as they can expand, rather than limit, future options.

About Dr. Robin Jones

Professor Robin Jones is a medical oncologist at The Royal Marsden Hospital and Professor at The Institute of Cancer Research in London. He specializes in the treatment of sarcomas, including solitary fibrous tumors. He previously spent five years at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and University of Washington in Seattle. He is actively involved in clinical trials and translational research aimed at developing more precise therapies for sarcoma patients.

Connect with Dr. Robin Jones on:

X/Twitter: @robinl_jones

Institution: https://www.royalmarsden.nhs.uk/our-consultants-units-and-wards/consultant-directory/professor-robin-jones

About the Host:

Dr. Peter Crane is a board-certified physician, educator, and storyteller with a heart for service and a calling to spotlight doctors who make a difference—in their communities, in medicine, and in the lives they touch.

Through Doctors Making a Difference, he brings you into intimate conversations with physicians who have overcome challenges, redefined success, and found purpose in and beyond the clinic. His goal is simple: to help more doctors stay in medicine by showing them what's possible.

About the Show:

Doctors Making a Difference is more than a podcast—it’s a movement to highlight the good, the gritty, and the deeply human side of medicine.

In every episode, Dr. Peter Crane interviews physicians whose stories defy the script. From burnout recovery to bold career pivots, health challenges to quiet leadership, this show honors the truth that healing begins with connection—and doctors, too, deserve to be whole.

Visit: doctorsmakingadifference.com

LMC Series Note:

Living with Metastatic Cancer (LMC) explores the science, decisions, and day-to-day realities of life with advanced disease—through candid physician–patient conversations

The Doctors Making a Difference Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult appropriate experts regarding your unique circumstances.

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