Section Editor: Bibianna Purgina MD FRCPC
May 26, 2026
Soft tissue is a general term for the tissues that connect, support, and surround other structures in the body. It includes fat, muscle, tendons, ligaments, nerves, blood vessels, and the lining of joints. When a piece of soft tissue is removed or sampled, a pathologist examines it under a microscope and describes what they see in your pathology report.
This page brings together our guides to conditions found in the soft tissues. The articles are grouped by type to help you find the one that matches your diagnosis. Select any article below to learn more.
Cancers of the soft tissue
These diagnoses are cancers of the soft tissue, known as sarcomas. They develop from tissues such as fat, muscle, and nerves. The articles explain how each type is diagnosed and what the details in your pathology report mean, including grade and stage.
Dedifferentiated liposarcoma is a cancer that develops from fat tissue. It contains a low-grade part and a faster-growing, higher-grade part. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions dedifferentiated liposarcoma.
Myxoid liposarcoma is a cancer that develops from fat tissue. It is named for the gel-like material seen in the tumor under the microscope. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions myxoid liposarcoma.
Pleomorphic liposarcoma is an uncommon, fast-growing cancer that develops from fat tissue. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions pleomorphic liposarcoma.
Rhabdomyosarcoma is a cancer that develops from cells related to skeletal muscle. This article gives an overview of the diagnosis and its types.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions rhabdomyosarcoma, or you want a general overview before reading about a specific type.
Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common type of rhabdomyosarcoma. It mainly affects children. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma.
Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma is a type of rhabdomyosarcoma that can affect children and young adults. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma.
Pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma is an uncommon type of rhabdomyosarcoma that mainly affects adults. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma.
Spindle cell/sclerosing rhabdomyosarcoma
Spindle cell/sclerosing rhabdomyosarcoma is an uncommon type of rhabdomyosarcoma. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions spindle cell or sclerosing rhabdomyosarcoma.
Leiomyosarcoma is a cancer that develops from smooth muscle, the type of muscle found in the walls of blood vessels and internal organs. This article explains how it is diagnosed and what your report describes.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions leiomyosarcoma.
Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma
Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma is one of the most common soft tissue sarcomas in adults. The cells look very abnormal and do not resemble a specific normal tissue. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma or UPS.
Myxofibrosarcoma is a common soft tissue sarcoma in older adults. It often develops near the surface of the body. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions myxofibrosarcoma.
Low grade fibromyxoid sarcoma is a slow-growing soft tissue sarcoma. Despite its slow growth, it is followed closely over the long term. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions low grade fibromyxoid sarcoma.
Synovial sarcoma is a soft tissue sarcoma that often develops in the arms or legs of younger adults. This article explains how it is diagnosed and what your report describes.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions synovial sarcoma.
Epithelioid sarcoma is an uncommon soft tissue sarcoma that often develops in the hands or arms of young adults. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions epithelioid sarcoma.
Angiosarcoma is an uncommon cancer that develops from the cells that line blood vessels. This article explains how it is diagnosed and what your report describes.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions angiosarcoma.
Kaposi sarcoma is a cancer that develops from cells related to blood vessels. It is linked to a virus called HHV8. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions Kaposi sarcoma.
Ewing sarcoma is a cancer that can develop in soft tissue or bone, mainly in children and young adults. This article explains how it is diagnosed and what your report describes.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions Ewing sarcoma.
Alveolar soft part sarcoma is a rare, slow-growing soft tissue sarcoma that mainly affects children and young adults. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions alveolar soft part sarcoma.
Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor
A malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor, or MPNST, is a sarcoma that develops from the cells that surround nerves. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor or MPNST.
Locally aggressive and intermediate tumors
These diagnoses are soft tissue tumors that fall between clearly noncancerous and cancerous. Some grow slowly and stay in one place, while others can grow into nearby tissue and come back after treatment. As a group, they rarely spread to other parts of the body. The articles explain what each diagnosis means.
An atypical lipomatous tumor, or ALT, is a fatty tumor that can grow into nearby tissue and come back after treatment but does not spread to other parts of the body. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions an atypical lipomatous tumor or ALT, also called well differentiated liposarcoma.
Well differentiated liposarcoma
Well differentiated liposarcoma is a fatty tumor that can grow into nearby tissue and come back after treatment but does not spread to other parts of the body. In the arms and legs, the same tumor is often called an atypical lipomatous tumor. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions well differentiated liposarcoma.
Fibromatosis is a general name for a group of growths made of fibrous tissue. They can grow into nearby tissue and come back after treatment but do not spread. This article gives an overview of the diagnosis and its types.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions fibromatosis, or you want a general overview before reading about a specific type.
Superficial fibromatosis is a group of slow-growing, noncancerous growths of fibrous tissue found near the surface of the body, such as in the hands and feet. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions superficial fibromatosis.
Palmar fibromatosis is a common, slow-growing, noncancerous growth of fibrous tissue in the palm of the hand. It is also called Dupuytren disease. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions palmar fibromatosis or Dupuytren disease.
Plantar fibromatosis is a common, slow-growing, noncancerous growth of fibrous tissue in the sole of the foot. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions plantar fibromatosis.
Deep fibromatosis is a growth of fibrous tissue that can grow into nearby tissue and come back after treatment but does not spread to other parts of the body. It is also called a desmoid tumor. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions deep fibromatosis.
A desmoid tumor is another name for deep fibromatosis, a growth of fibrous tissue that can grow into nearby tissue and come back after treatment but does not spread. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions a desmoid tumor.
A solitary fibrous tumor is an uncommon tumor that develops from fibrous tissue. Most behave in a harmless way, but some can come back or spread, so it is followed closely. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions a solitary fibrous tumor.
Perivascular epithelioid cell tumor
A perivascular epithelioid cell tumor, or PEComa, is an uncommon tumor that can develop in many parts of the body. Most are harmless, but some can behave like a cancer, so it is followed closely. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions a perivascular epithelioid cell tumor or PEComa.
Noncancerous tumors
These diagnoses are noncancerous soft tissue tumors. They do not spread to other parts of the body, although some are removed because of their size or location, or to confirm the diagnosis. The articles explain what each diagnosis means.
A lipoma is a very common, noncancerous tumor made of fat. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions a lipoma.
An angiolipoma is a common, noncancerous tumor made of fat and small blood vessels. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions an angiolipoma.
An intramuscular lipoma is a noncancerous tumor made of fat that develops within a muscle. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions an intramuscular lipoma.
A spindle cell lipoma is a noncancerous fatty tumor that often develops on the back, neck, or shoulders. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions a spindle cell lipoma.
A pleomorphic lipoma is a noncancerous fatty tumor. Although some of its cells look unusual, it does not behave like a cancer. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions a pleomorphic lipoma.
A hibernoma is an uncommon, noncancerous tumor made of brown fat, a special type of fat tissue. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions a hibernoma.
A schwannoma is a common, noncancerous tumor that develops from the cells that surround nerves. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions a schwannoma.
A neurofibroma is a common, noncancerous tumor that develops from nerve tissue. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions a neurofibroma.
A perineurioma is an uncommon, noncancerous tumor that develops from the cells that surround nerves. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions a perineurioma.
A ganglioneuroma is a noncancerous tumor that develops from nerve cells. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions a ganglioneuroma.
A granular cell tumor is an uncommon, usually noncancerous tumor that often develops from nerve-related cells. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions a granular cell tumor.
A leiomyoma is a common, noncancerous tumor that develops from smooth muscle. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions a leiomyoma.
An angioleiomyoma is a noncancerous tumor made of smooth muscle and blood vessels. It often causes pain. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions an angioleiomyoma.
A hemangioma is a common, noncancerous tumor made of blood vessels. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions a hemangioma.
A lobular capillary hemangioma is a common, noncancerous growth made of small blood vessels. It is also called a pyogenic granuloma. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions a lobular capillary hemangioma.
A pyogenic granuloma is another name for a lobular capillary hemangioma, a common, noncancerous growth made of small blood vessels. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions a pyogenic granuloma.
A glomus tumor is a small, usually noncancerous tumor that often develops under a fingernail or in the skin. It often causes pain. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions a glomus tumor.
A fibrous histiocytoma is a common, noncancerous tumor that often develops in the skin or soft tissue. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions a fibrous histiocytoma.
A myofibroblastoma is a noncancerous tumor made of cells called myofibroblasts. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions a myofibroblastoma.
An elastofibroma is a noncancerous growth of fibrous and elastic tissue that usually develops near the shoulder blade. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions an elastofibroma.
A myxoma is a noncancerous tumor made of gel-like material. This article gives an overview of the diagnosis.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions a myxoma.
An intramuscular myxoma is a noncancerous tumor made of gel-like material that develops within a muscle. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions an intramuscular myxoma.
A myoepithelioma of soft tissue is an uncommon, usually noncancerous tumor. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions a myoepithelioma of soft tissue.
Giant cell tumor of tendon sheath
A giant cell tumor of tendon sheath is a common, noncancerous tumor that develops next to a tendon, often in the fingers. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions a giant cell tumor of tendon sheath.
An angiomyolipoma is a noncancerous tumor made of blood vessels, muscle, and fat. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions an angiomyolipoma.
Noncancerous conditions
These diagnoses are noncancerous conditions of the soft tissue. They are not cancer and are not true tumors. The articles explain what each diagnosis means.
A ganglion cyst is a common, noncancerous, fluid-filled lump that develops next to a joint or tendon, most often in the wrist or hand. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions a ganglion cyst.
Nodular fasciitis is a noncancerous growth that develops quickly in soft tissue. Although it grows fast, it is harmless and often goes away on its own. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions nodular fasciitis.
A xanthoma is a noncancerous build-up of fat-containing cells in the skin or soft tissue. It is sometimes linked to high cholesterol. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions a xanthoma.
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