Meaningful engagement of the patient in rare cancer research: sarcoma as an exemplar.

Patient advocates who understand scientific methods and proper research processes can bring valuable perspectives to modern research. This is particularly important in rare cancers like sarcoma as each patient becomes a precious source of information to better diagnose, understand the biology and the effect of treatment. Reviewing approaches used by other cancer patient advocates can provide valuable insights to develop effective research advocates in rare cancers such as sarcoma.