Management of Soft-tissue Tumors With a Size of 2-5 cm, Including Malignancy

Abstract

Background/aim: The management of soft-tissue tumors of 2-5 cm is not specified. We investigated the management of these cases.

Patients and methods: Among 105 cases with soft-tissue tumors from 2014 to 2021, 38 with tumors of 2-5 cm were retrospectively reviewed. The clinical characteristics, diagnosis, and management were investigated.

Results: The study population included 14 males and 24 females (mean age=57 years). Common histological diagnoses included lipoma, epidermal cyst, and hemangioma as benign tumors, and leiomyosarcoma (n=2) and metastatic soft-tissue carcinoma (n=1) as malignant tumors. Magnetic resonance imaging, needle and excisional biopsy were performed in 35, 19 and 19 cases, respectively. The mean follow-up period was 7 months. No recurrence was observed.

Conclusion: Malignancy exists, even in soft-tissue tumors of 2-5 cm (3/38; 8%). To avoid unplanned excision, needle biopsy should be considered for cases with magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities.

Keywords: 2-5 cm; MRI; Soft-tissue tumor; malignancy; needle biopsy; unplanned excision.