สรุป

• Sarcoma is a group of rare solid tumours of connective tissue. More than 50 different histological subtypes are known.
• Most commonly, it presents as a soft-tissue swelling, which may or may not be painful. Differential diagnoses that should be considered are lymphoma, metastatic carcinoma, and benign lesions such as lipoma and neuroma.
• Some sarcomas are associated with specific gene mutations, in particular chromosomal translocations.
• Diagnosis is made by biopsy, which should have a sufficient amount of tissue for accurate pathological diagnosis.
• Pathology should be reviewed by an expert pathologist who has experience in sarcoma histology. Diagnostic laboratory methods may include immunohistochemistry, cytogenetics, and molecular genetic testing.
• Treatment is based on stage and histological subtype, with only some subtypes being chemotherapy-sensitive.