WHO classification of tumors of soft tissue

Changed by Daniel J Bell, 14 Oct 2021

Updates to Article Attributes

Body was changed:

The World Health Organization (WHO) classification of soft tissue tumours is the most widely used pathologic classification system for such disorders. The current revision, part of the 5th edition of the WHO series, was published in 2020 and is reflected in the article below 1.

Classification

Adipocytic tumours
Fibroblastic/myofibroblastic tumours
So-called fibrohistiocytic tumours
Vascular tumours
Pericytic (perivascular) tumours
Smooth muscle tumours
Skeletal-muscle tumours
Gastrointestinal stromal tumours
Chondro-osseous tumours
Peripheral nerve sheath tumours
Tumours of uncertain differentiation

Changes from the prior version

New entities and variants

Newly introduced entities include the following 1-5:

  • adipocytic tumours
    • atypical spindle cell/pleomorphic lipomatous tumour
    • myxoid pleomorphic liposarcoma
  • fibroblastic and myofibroblastic tumours
    • angiofibroma of soft tissue
    • superficial CD34-positive fibroblastic tumour
    • EWSR-SMAD3-positive fibroblastic tumour
  • vascular tumours
    • epithelioid haemangioendothelioma features two newly recognized subtypes
    • anastomosing haemangioma
    • tufted angioma and Kaposiform haemangioendothelioma are classified together
  • pericytic (perivascular) tumours
    • myopericytoma, including myofibroma - new subtype: cellular myofibroma/myopericytoma
  • smooth muscle tumours
    • EBV-associated smooth muscle tumour
    • inflammatory leiomyosarcoma
  • skeletal muscle tumours
  • tumours of uncertain differentiation
    • NTRK-rearranged soft tissue neoplasms
Other changes
  • melanotic schwannoma: now renamed to malignant melanotic nerve sheath tumour
  • dedifferentiated liposarcoma: adverse prognostic impact of myogenic and rhabdomyoblastic differentiation as well of a high grade on the FNCLCC (French Federation of Cancer Centers Sarcoma Group) grading system
  • solitary fibrous tumour: 'extrapleural' has been removed
  • -<p>The<strong> World Health Organization (WHO) classification of soft tissue tumours</strong> is the most widely used pathologic classification system for such disorders. The current revision, part of the 5th edition of the <a href="/articles/world-health-organisation-who">WHO</a> series, was published in 2020 and is reflected in the article below <sup>1</sup>.</p><h4>Classification</h4><h5>Adipocytic tumours</h5><ul>
  • +<p>The<strong> World Health Organization (WHO) classification of soft tissue tumours</strong> is the most widely used pathologic classification system for such disorders. The current revision, part of the 5th edition of the <a href="/articles/world-health-organizatin-who">WHO</a> series, was published in 2020 and is reflected in the article below <sup>1</sup>.</p><h4>Classification</h4><h5>Adipocytic tumours</h5><ul>
  • -<a href="/articles/lymphatic-malformations-1">lymphangioma</a> and <a title="Lymphangiomatosis" href="/articles/lymphangiomatosis">lymphangiomatosis</a>
  • +<a href="/articles/lymphatic-malformations-1">lymphangioma</a> and <a href="/articles/lymphangiomatosis">lymphangiomatosis</a>

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