Soft tissue tumor diagnosis: A three prong approach utilizing pattern analysis, immunocytochemistry, and molecular diagnostics

Tissue diagnosis of a soft tissue neoplasm is of paramount importance for the development of an appropriate treatment plan. Biopsy technique including approach and biopsy method is important to the success of diagnosis and subsequent treatment. Histologic and cytologic diagnoses are difficult and complicated by the large number of soft tissue lesions described, distinctly different biopotential for morphologically similar lesions, often small biopsy specimen size, and the generally limited experience many pathologists have in the diagnosis of soft tissue neoplasms. While utilized less frequently than core-needle biopsies, fine-needle aspiration is a valuable initial approach for the classification of soft tissue neoplasms. The combination of pattern based morphologic analysis, immunohistochemistry, and molecular diagnostics represents a utilitarian and generally successful approach for the diagnosis of soft tissue lesions.