Most patients with deeply seated soft tissue tumors are referred to orthopedic oncology centers for investigation and management. Hence, the diagnostic workup of these tumors is typically undertaken by subspecialist pathologists at tertiary referral centers. Consequently, most pathologists in practice at smaller hospitals or private laboratories have limited exposure to deeply located soft tissue neoplasms. However, superficial soft tissue tumors greatly outnumber their deeply located counterparts. These superficial tumors have largely remained within the treatment domain of general surgeons and primary care physicians. Additionally, patients with superficial tumors usually lack detailed imaging workup and characteristically present with the clinical information of "soft tissue mass, not yet diagnosed." Numerically, it is this type of soft tissue tumors that general surgical pathologists most frequently encounter. Although the majority of these lesions are benign and readily diagnosed, a substantial number may result in diagnostic difficulty. The superficial soft tissues give rise to a full spectrum of benign, borderline, malignant and reactive pseudosarcomatous lesions. This course uses a case presentation format illustrating "tumors" that present in the superficial soft tissue and that can cause diagnostic difficulty. Entities exhibiting fibroblastic, myofibroblastic, endothelial, peripheral nerve, smooth muscle, adipose and histiocytic differentiation in addition to lesions of uncertain lineage will be discussed. The emphasis of the course will be on the diagnosis and classification of superficial soft tissue tumors using classic histopathologic techniques. Adjuvant diagnostic methodologies including immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy and molecular genetics will be emphasized when appropriate.

A limited number of loan sets of glass slides will be available for advance mailing. All registrants will receive a set of transparencies after the meeting. A detailed syllabus will be available at the course.