Soft tissue tumors in children and adolescents present challenges in differential diagnosis and morphologic-molecular genetic-prognostic correlations. The purposes of this case-based course are to provide information about the general pathologic evaluation of a soft tissue mass in a child or an adolescent and to develop differential diagnostic skills based on specific case discussions. The lesions discussed will include benign and malignant tumors with skeletal muscle, neural/neuroectodermal, vascular, fibroblastic-myofibroblastic, adipose, and other mesenchymal phenotypes. Ancillary techniques including immunohistochemistry, cytogenetics, and molecular genetics, and correlation with clinical, differential diagnostic, and therapeutic implications will be discussed. The course is suitable for practicing general pathologists, pathology residents, and fellows. At the end of the course the participants will have increased skills in the diagnosis of common and uncommon soft tissue tumors in children and adolescents, be able to formulate a differential diagnosis using a morphologic pattern-oriented approach, will understand the role of ancillary molecular, cytogenetic, and immunohistochemical techniques in diagnosis and prognosis, and will have information about genetic and syndromic associations for specific neoplasms.

Sets of glass microcscopic slides and case histories will be available for mailing to pre-registrants prior to the meeting. An extensive syllabus will be distributed at the time of the course, and a CD of images will be mailed to all registrants after the meeting.