[Therapeutic strategy for soft tissue tumors and peripheral sarcomas in adults]

A superficial or deep mass in the limbs or body walls may be a sarcoma, even if it has been present for a long time. It warrants caution, as inappropriate surgery can worsen the prognosis. A superficial tumor should be evaluated with an ultrasound: if the tumor is not perfectly fatty and homogeneous, a percutaneous biopsy is necessary. Deep tumors require an MRI followed by a percutaneous biopsy. The final histopathological diagnosis must be awaited, which may include molecular biology in addition to immunohistochemistry. If it is a sarcoma or a desmoid tumor, the therapeutic strategy must be decided in a specialized multidisciplinary team meeting. Sarcomas require wide excision, ensuring healthy margins by staying well away from the lesion. In France, there is a network of specialized centers for the treatment of sarcomas (NETSARC⁺).