Do all lumps need surgery?

Not all. Small lipomas that are asymptomatic and not growing may be observed. However, any lump that is growing, painful, or deep to the fascia should be investigated.

How is a sarcoma diagnosed?

Suspected soft tissue sarcomas are assessed with ultrasound or MRI, followed by a core needle biopsy to confirm the diagnosis. It is important that biopsy and definitive surgery are planned together by an experienced sarcoma team, as an unplanned excision can compromise the outcome.

Soft Tissue Tumours | Dr Jingyi Cao

Condition Overview

Soft tissue tumour surgery treats benign and malignant growths arising in muscle, fat, and connective tissue. Dr Cao provides diagnosis through imaging and biopsy, then surgical excision, coordinating with oncology teams pre-operatively and post-operatively, when sarcoma is confirmed.

Soft tissue tumours arise from connective tissues including fat, muscle, fibrous tissue, blood vessels, and nerves. While most soft tissue lumps are benign, accurate diagnosis and appropriate surgical management is essential.

Types treated:

Lipoma - benign fatty tumour (most common)
Sarcoma - malignant soft tissue tumour (rare but can be aggressive)
Desmoid tumour (aggressive fibromatosis) - locally aggressive but non-metastasising
Neurofibroma and schwannoma - benign nerve sheath tumours

Surgical Approach

Marginal excision for benign lesions (lipomas, ganglions)
Wide local excision for sarcomas with a cuff of normal tissue around the tumour to ensure clear margins

All sarcoma cases are discussed in a multidisciplinary sarcoma team meeting.

What to Expect

Before Surgery

Imaging with ultrasound and/or MRI to characterise the tumour
Core needle biopsy for histological diagnosis
Staging CT or PET for sarcomas to check for distant spread

During Surgery

Performed under general anaesthetic
Duration varies from 30 minutes (small lipoma) to several hours (complex sarcoma resection)

Recovery

Most benign tumour excisions are day procedures
Length of stay post-sarcoma resections depends on the extent of the surgery
Return to activities depends on size and location of surgery
Regular surveillance imaging for sarcomas (every 3-6 months initially)

Soft Tissue Tumours