Spectrum of Soft Tissue Sarcomas - A Retrospective Analysis in a Tertiary Care Centre

Introduction: Soft tissue tumors represent a diverse group of neoplasms that originate from the soft tissues of the body. There are more benign than malignant soft tissue tumors with an annual incidence of malignant soft-tissue tumors (sarcomas) being 50 cases per 1 million population. Sarcomas exhibit a broad range of histological subtypes and are undergoing rapid changes, particularly due to the rise in molecular pathology. Materials and methods: This study employed a retrospective approach and analyzed both biopsy and resected specimens received between January 2019 and December 2022 (four years). The specimens that were histomorphologically and immunohistochemically diagnosed as sarcomas were included in the study. Clinical data of the patients and the corresponding histomorphological findings were retrieved from the Hospital database and the Histopathology Register, respectively. Results: A total of 38 sarcoma cases were evaluated in this study. The median age of patients at presentation was 46 ± 15 years with a balanced distribution between males and females. The majority of diagnoses (52%) fell within the fourth and fifth decades of life. The most frequent anatomical site of involvement was the extremities (47.3%), followed by the retroperitoneum (15.7%) and abdomen (13.1%). Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors emerged as the most prevalent subtype (28%), while leiomyosarcoma and liposarcoma each constituted 20% of the cases examined. Conclusion: Extremities remain the primary location, aligning with past research. However, our data hints at a possible increase in the incidence of sarcomas in females, warranting further studies.