Soft tissue tumours in children may differ in behaviour, symptoms and treatment needs.

Benign Soft Tissue Tumours

Benign tumours are non-cancerous. They usually grow slowly and do not spread to other parts of the body. However, they may still need treatment if they are painful, growing, pressing on nearby structures or affecting movement.

Examples include:

Lipoma

Haemangioma

Lymphangioma

Fibroma

Benign nerve sheath tumour

Vascular malformations

Some benign muscle or fibrous tissue tumours

Intermediate or Locally Aggressive Tumours

Some tumours are not cancerous in the usual sense but can grow into nearby tissues or come back after treatment. These may need careful planning and follow-up.

Examples include:

Desmoid tumour

Infantile fibrosarcoma in selected clinical contexts

Other locally aggressive fibrous tumours

Malignant Soft Tissue Tumours

Malignant soft tissue tumours are called soft tissue sarcomas. These can grow into nearby tissues and may spread to other parts of the body.

Examples include:

Rhabdomyosarcoma

Synovial sarcoma

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour

Leiomyosarcoma

Fibrosarcoma

Angiosarcoma

Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma

Other rare paediatric soft tissue sarcomas

Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common type of soft tissue sarcoma in children. It may arise in muscles or muscle-related tissue and can occur in many parts of the body.

Soft Tissue Tumours in Children