Soft Tissue Tumours

## Condition Overview Soft tissue tumour surgery treats benign and malignant growths arising in muscle, fat, and connective tissue. Dr Cao provides diagnosis through imaging and biopsy, then surgical excision with clear margins, coordinating with oncology teams when sarcoma is confirmed. Soft tissue tumours arise from connective tissues including fat, muscle, fibrous tissue, blood vessels, and nerves. While most soft tissue lumps are benign, accurate diagnosis and appropriate surgical management is essential. ### Types treated: - **Lipoma** — benign fatty tumour (most common) - **Sarcoma** — malignant soft tissue tumour (rare but aggressive) - **Desmoid tumour** (aggressive fibromatosis) — locally aggressive but non-metastasising - **Neurofibroma and schwannoma** — benign nerve sheath tumours - **Ganglion cyst** — benign cyst arising from joint capsules or tendon sheaths ## Surgical Approach - **Marginal excision** for benign lesions (lipomas, ganglions) - **Wide local excision** for sarcomas with a cuff of normal tissue around the tumour to ensure clear margins - **Compartment resection** for sarcomas confined to a single anatomical compartment - **Limb-sparing surgery** whenever possible, combined with reconstruction if needed All sarcoma cases are discussed in a multidisciplinary sarcoma team meeting. ## What to Expect ### Before Surgery - Imaging with ultrasound and/or MRI to characterise the tumour - Core needle biopsy for histological diagnosis (essential before sarcoma surgery) - Staging CT for sarcomas to check for distant spread ### During Surgery - Performed under general anaesthetic - Duration varies from 30 minutes (small lipoma) to several hours (complex sarcoma resection) ### Recovery - Most benign tumour excisions are day procedures - Sarcoma resections may require 1-5 nights in hospital - Return to activities depends on size and location of surgery - Regular surveillance imaging for sarcomas (every 3-6 months initially)