Abstract
Soft tissue sarcomas are an unusual group of tumors deriving their name from the Greek term for a fleshy excrescence. As early as Galen (130–200 C.E.), it was suggested they were a cancerous tumor and caution advised against any surgical intervention [1]. Early reports of myxoid liposarcoma by Severinius (1580–1637) and retroperitoneal liposarcoma by Morgagni (1682–1771) have been recorded [2]. Wardrop (1782–1869), an Edinburgh surgeon who had studied in Vienna, introduced the term soft cancer. In his book Surgical Observations, published in 1816, Charles Bell (1772–1842) has been credited with the utilization of the term soft tissue sarcoma to differentiate it from carcinoma [3]. The first classification of sarcoma has been attributed to Abernethy in 1804. Johannes Müller (1801–1858) has been credited with coining the term desmoid in 1838 [3]. Stout (1885–1967) published a seminal monograph in 1932 on the pathology and treatment of sarcomas [4].
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Brennan, M.F., Antonescu, C.R., Alektiar, K.M., Maki, R.G. (2016). General Description. In: Management of Soft Tissue Sarcoma. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-41906-0_1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-41906-0_1
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