Soft tissue tumors arise from many different types of tissues. They range from very common lipomas to some of the rarest tumors in medicine. Tumors of the soft tissues are much more frequently benign than cancerous or malignant.
Malignant tumors are termed sarcomas. To provide an idea of their rarity, only about 6 thousand cases are diagnosed annually in the United States, with a population of 300 million people.
The AIDS epidemic has introduced us to what was previously a very rare sarcoma, Kaposi's sarcoma.
Causes of Soft Tissue Tumor
Some genetic syndromes, such as neurofibromatosis, can produce soft tissue tumors. Rarely, these tumors can degerate or mutate from a benign tumor to a malignant one. Occasionally, sarcomas can arise within organs. A pathologist often utilizes a variety of special stains and immunohistochemistry to elucidate the nature of the originating cell.
Within recent years, some of these sarcomas have shown unique translocations and other molecular genetic defects, providing another diagnostic tool as well as shedding light into the pathogenesis of these rare but fascinating tumors.
The basis of benign soft tissue tumors is not clearly understood. Malignancies probably represent a mutation that affects cell growth.
Signs and Symptoms of Soft Tissue Tumor
Soft tissue tumors frequently present with a lump or mass. It is frequently painless and not attaches to adjacent tissues. Similar masses within organs may produce symptoms by dysfunction or obstruction of a particular structure.
Rapid enlargement of a soft tissue mass is worrisome for a malignancy, or a tumor growing out of control. Involvement of other tissues, with adherence between the lump and the skin or bone, may suggest a cancerous lesion. Pain associated with a soft tissue mass also reques immediate evaluation.
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Medical Content Last Updated on 07/12/2008
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