title: Optimising the management of soft tissue tumours.
abstract: The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia is developing a series of protocols as an educational tool to assist pathologists in the reporting of relevant information for specific cancer specimens. The protocol for the management of soft tissue tumour resections has recently been released, and this document elaborates the relevant literature on which that protocol drew. Sarcoma is uncommon but is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, and its management is complex. Diagnostic errors are not uncommon and these can have disastrous effects on patient outcome. Sophisticated ancillary testing is often an important adjunct to diagnosis and prognostication. Referral to a specialist sarcoma unit is indicated for both adult and paediatric sarcoma.
authors.affiliation: ACT Pathology at The Canberra Hospital, Australia. christine.hemmings@act.gov.au
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hemmings
authors.forename: Carina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Miles
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Slavin
authors.forename: S Fiona
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Bonar
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Graf
authors.forename: Lyn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Austen
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Jayesh
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Desai
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Barry
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*