title: Some general considerations about the clinicopathologic aspects of soft tissue tumors in children and adolescents.
abstract: Soft tissue tumors in children and adolescents are an important group of neoplasms, pseudoneoplasms, and tumefactive malformations with some distinctive clinicopathologic, genetic, syndromic, and therapeutic implications. In addition to the basic pathologic examination, there is the availability of diagnostic adjuncts in various settings based upon the histopathologic features that facilitate and/or corroborate a diagnosis. Immunohistochemistry, cytogenetics, molecular genetics, and an ever-increasing array of new technologies are available to address specific diagnostic questions and even potential therapeutic strategies. This review focuses upon some of the unique aspects of soft tissue tumors in children, including the classification, approach to the diagnosis, grading, clinical and pathologic staging, therapy-related changes, pathogenesis, and risk factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA. cheryl.coffin@vanderbilt.edu
authors.forename: Cheryl M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Coffin
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alaggio
authors.forename: Louis P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Dehner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012307:Risk Factors; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy