Soft Tissue Tumors of the Extremity

Abstract

Although the vast majority of soft tissue extremity masses are benign, approximately 13,000 people in the United States were diagnosed with soft tissue sarcoma in 2019. This article focuses on the optimal workup of soft tissue masses including the indications for ultrasound and MRI, as well as use of preoperative core needle biopsy. Current AJCC staging, surgical principles of soft tissue sarcoma management, and data regarding indications for radiation therapy and chemotherapy are reviewed. As up to 50% of patients with soft tissue sarcoma will develop recurrent disease, surgical management of locally recurrent and distant metastatic disease is discussed.

Keywords: Chemotherapy; Lipoma; Radiation therapy; Sarcoma; Soft tissue mass; Surgery.