Rob Ranville has always been active and athletic. A former college basketball player, Rob built his life around athletics, fitness and pushing himself toward the next goal. In 2024, that meant training for a half-marathon and HYROX, a fitness competition that combines running with functional strength exercises.
During his training, he noticed something unusual in his leg. At first, Rob thought it might be related to a rare bone condition he had been diagnosed with years earlier called melorheostosis. The condition causes excess bone growth and Rob had been getting periodic scans to monitor it. But after moving to Charlotte in 2024, he had fallen behind on those routine checks.
“I noticed what was either a knot or that pre-existing condition in my leg,” says Rob. “It wasn’t excruciating pain or anything.”
In January 2025, he scheduled updated scans. Soon after, he was connected with the team at Atrium Health Levine Cancer. The team recommended a biopsy, but Rob asked to move it back by one week so he could compete in HYROX.
“I told my buddy during one of our last training runs before the event that this might be one of the last times I get to run with you, so I want to take advantage of the moment,” says Rob.
Looking back, he now knows he completed the half-marathon and the HYROX competition with cancer growing in his leg.
A life-changing call
In March 2025, soon after his biopsy, Rob was in Barbados, wrapping up a work trip after being named national salesman of the year by his company. He was taking one last walk on the beach when his phone rang.
The call was from the team of Dr. Joshua Patt, an orthopedic oncologist at Atrium Health Levine Cancer and Paula Takacs Foundation Endowed Chair for Sarcoma Research. Rob had osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer.
“My whole life got flipped upside down,” says Rob.
He was 30 years old.
Within days of returning to Charlotte, Rob had a chemotherapy port placed. He started chemotherapy in April, under the care of Dr. Johann Hsu, a hematologist and medical oncologist at Atrium Health Levine Cancer, who specializes in the treatment of sarcomas.
His treatment moved quickly. Rob completed two rounds of chemotherapy before surgery. Then, in June, Patt removed the cancer.
Rob’s tumor was located in the middle of his femur. To remove it, Patt took out the central portion of the bone and reconstructed it using donor bone and a metal fixation device.
“This was done to try and preserve his normal hip and knee joints, given his young age,” says Patt.
The approach is known as limb-salvage surgery. Decades ago, many patients with osteosarcoma of the femur would have needed an amputation. Today, with effective chemotherapy and advanced surgical techniques, more than 90% of patients with osteosarcoma of the femur are able to have their tumor removed with limb salvage, says Patt.
At Levine Cancer, patients have access to a full range of limb-salvage options, including metallic implants, donor bone reconstruction, resection arthroplasty, rotationplasty and combinations of these approaches.
For Rob, the goal was to remove the cancer while preserving as much function as possible.
Recovery, setbacks and resilience
Rob’s surgery was successful. Patt removed the tumor and affected bone with negative margins, meaning no cancer cells were seen at the edge of the removed tissue. The cancer was localized to the bone and had not spread into the surrounding muscles or tissue.
But recovery from this type of surgery is slow, especially during chemotherapy.
“Getting the bone to heal during his chemotherapy after surgery is very difficult,” says Patt. “Now that he has completed his chemotherapy, we are starting to see some healing.”
Rob’s healing process also included unexpected setbacks. In August 2025, while exercising in his apartment, he felt his leg shift. When he tried to stand, his foot pointed out to the side. X-rays showed that part of the metal fixation device had broken.
Patt’s team scheduled Rob’s surgery for a few days later, but the day before the procedure, Rob was at home about to watch TV when he pushed himself back on the couch and felt his leg snap.
“I looked down and the cadaver bone and rod were trying to exit my body,” says Rob.
He called an ambulance and was taken to the hospital. Patt and his team repaired the leg without having to fully reopen the original surgical site.
“Dr. Patt and his team were able to pull off a miracle,” says Rob.
After that, Rob continued treatment, starting his final two rounds of chemotherapy in September 2025.
Through it all, he kept looking for ways to stay active. He was not yet cleared for full physical therapy on his leg, but Patt approved certain exercises. Rob focused on upper-body workouts and the safe therapy movements he was allowed to do.
For an athlete, his goal is now much simpler than it once was.
“The end goal is to get me back up and walking (without a cane or crutch),” says Rob. “Who knows, in a few years, maybe I’m jogging again or able to play pickleball. If it heals correctly this time, I’ll have the ability to walk and do normal activities again.”
After seven months on crutches, Rob is now down to one crutch. He is putting about half his weight on the leg and walking without pain.
“I’m most looking forward to walking on my own for as long and as far as I want,” he says. “I love to walk. I live in the Dilworth area and walking through nearby neighborhoods is my favorite thing to do. It helps clear my mind.”
Participating in research for the future of sarcoma care
As part of his care at Levine Cancer, Rob is also participating in a clinical trial studying circulating tumor DNA in patients with sarcoma. The trial is evaluating whether a blood-based test may help detect signs of sarcoma more sensitively in the future.
Hsu says one challenge in sarcoma care is that there isn’t currently a standard tumor marker that can reliably show whether microscopic disease remains after treatment.
“As part of his cancer treatment, our goal is to shrink and eliminate any micrometastatic disease that may not be seen with conventional imaging,” says Hsu. “Currently, there is no tumor marker for sarcoma, so it can be difficult to determine if and how much therapy should be given after a definitive surgery.”
The study doesn’t directly change Rob’s current treatment, but Hsu says it may help researchers develop better ways to detect relapse sooner or provide reassurance when there is no evidence of residual disease.
For patients, Hsu says clinical trials can sometimes be misunderstood.
“Most concerns regarding clinical trial participation are about the safety of completely new therapies,” says Hsu. “But the majority of trials are simply adjusting the standard of care slightly to see if we can improve treatment efficacy and reduce toxicity. Arguably, clinical trials provide enhanced, up-to-date care.”
A care team that made him feel known
Before deciding where to receive treatment, Rob sought second opinions at other large health systems. But he says he felt most comfortable with the team at Levine Cancer because of the personal connection and the time they took to understand his situation.
“The thing I love so much about the Levine Cancer team is there’s still a close relationship between the patient and doctor,” says Rob. “We sat down and came up with a game plan together.”
That plan now includes ongoing surveillance scans every three months, attention to nutrition and a focus on rebuilding strength as safely as possible.
Patt says Rob has brought the same determination to cancer treatment that he once brought to sports.
“From day one, taking care of Rob has been a pleasure,” says Patt. “He is thoughtful and inquisitive and always has great questions. He has taken every challenge with purpose and kept going forward.”
Patt also credits Rob’s support system and mindset.
“He has benefitted from incredible family support, and his overall attitude and spirit has made taking care of him fun,” says Patt.
Finding strength in faith and small moments
Rob says cancer turned his life upside down. It interrupted his career, his fitness routine and his independence. As someone who works in medical sales, he’s used to spending long days in hospitals and driving between appointments. Now, even ordinary days require more energy.
“There are days when I get home and get on the couch, and I’m just exhausted from carrying my body around all day,” Rob says.
Chemotherapy, he says, was even harder than learning to walk again.
“It was a very humbling experience,” Rob says.
His faith has helped him move through the hardest moments.
“I’m a big believer in my faith,” Rob says. “My spiritual self-esteem is what I lean on and it’s allowed me to get through this journey. It’s made me have a deeper relationship with God.”
He also sees life differently now.
“I really cherish the small things in life more than I used to,” Rob says. “It gives you a whole different perspective.”
Today, Rob is in remission. He is focused on healing, getting stronger and doing everything he can to reduce the risk of recurrence. His next big milestone is not a race or competition. It is walking independently through the Charlotte neighborhoods he loves.
His advice to others is simple: “Be an advocate for yourself when it comes to your health.”
Learn more about sarcoma and bone cancer care at Levine Cancer.
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