Benign fibromas may, but need not be, removed. Removal is usually a brief outpatient procedure.

Carcinomas can be definitively diagnosed through biopsy, including fine-needle aspiration (FNA), core biopsy, or subtotal removal of single node. Microscopic examination by a pathologist is then necessary to identify molecular, cellular, or tissue architectural characteristics of epithelial cells.

While cancer is generally considered a disease of old age, children can also develop cancer. In contrast to adults, carcinomas are exceptionally rare in children..

The two biggest risk factors for ovarian carcinoma are age and family history.

The most conclusive test for a patient with a potential neurofibrosarcoma is a tumor biopsy (taking a sample of cells directly from the tumor itself). MRIs, X-rays, CT scans, and bone scans can aid in locating a tumor and/or possible metastasis.

The only reliable way to determine whether a soft-tissue tumour is benign or malignant is through a biopsy. There are two methods for acquisition of tumour tissue for cytopathological analysis;

- Needle Aspiration, via biopsy needle

- surgically, via an incision made into the tumour.

A pathologist examines the tissue under a microscope. If cancer is present, the pathologist can usually determine the type of cancer and its grade. Here, 'grade' refers to a scale used to represent concisely the predicted growth rate of the tumour and its tendency to spread, and this is determined by the degree to which the cancer cells appear abnormal when examined under a microscope. Low-grade sarcomas, although cancerous, are defined as those that are less likely to metastasise. High-grade sarcomas are defined as those more likely to spread to other parts of the body.

For soft-tissue sarcoma there are two histological grading systems : the National Cancer Institute (NCI) system and the French Federation of Cancer Centers Sarcoma Group (FNCLCC) system.

Soft tissue sarcomas commonly originate in the upper body, in the shoulder or upper chest. Some symptoms are uneven posture, pain in the trapezius muscle and cervical inflexibility [difficulty in turning the head].

The most common site to which soft tissue sarcoma spreads is the lungs.

Usually, treatment of a lipoma is not necessary, unless the tumor becomes painful or restricts movement. They are usually removed for cosmetic reasons, if they grow very large, or for histopathology to check that they are not a more dangerous type of tumor such as a liposarcoma. This last point can be important as the characteristics of a "bump" are not known until after it is removed and medically examined.

Lipomas are normally removed by simple excision. The removal can often be done under local anaesthetic, and takes less than 30 minutes. This cures the great majority of cases, with about 1–2% of lipomas recurring after excision. Liposuction is another option if the lipoma is soft and has a small connective tissue component. Liposuction typically results in less scarring; however, with large lipomas it may fail to remove the entire tumor, which can lead to regrowth.

New methods under development are supposed to remove the lipomas without scarring. One is removal by injecting compounds that trigger lipolysis, such as steroids or phosphatidylcholine.

Investigations by the physician include imaging (ultrasound, CAT scan, MRI) and, if possible, obtaining a tissue diagnosis by biopsy, hysteroscopy, or D&C.

Ultimately the diagnosis is established by the histologic examination of the specimen. Typically malignant lesions have >10 mitosis per high power field. In contrast a uterine leiomyoma as a benign lesion would have < 5 mitosis per high power field.

The prognosis for rhabdomyosarcoma has improved greatly in recent decades, with over 70% of patients surviving for five years after diagnosis.

Unusual or postmenopausal bleeding may be a sign of a malignancy including uterine sarcoma and needs to be investigated. Other signs include pelvic pain, pressure, and unusual discharge. A nonpregnant uterus that enlarges quickly is suspicious. However, none of the signs are specific. Specific screening test have not been developed; a Pap smear is a screening test for cervical cancer and not designed to detect uterine sarcoma.

A connective tissue neoplasm or connective tissue tumor is a neoplasm arising from the tissues of the connective tissue. (Not all tumors "in" the connective tissue are "of" the connective tissue.)

Lipomatosis is believed to be a hereditary condition in which multiple lipomas are present on the body.

Adiposis dolorosa (Dercum disease) is a rare condition involving multiple painful lipomas, swelling, and fatigue. Early studies mentioned prevalence in obese postmenopausal women. However, current literature demonstrates that Dercum disease is present in more women than men of all body types; the average age for diagnosis is 35 years.

Benign symmetric lipomatosis (Madelung disease) is another condition involving lipomatosis. It nearly always appears in middle-aged males after many years of alcoholism. But, non-alcoholics and females can also be affected.

Diet and lifestyle are believed to play a large role in whether colorectal polyps form. Studies show there to be a protective link between consumption of cooked green vegetables, brown rice, legumes, and dried fruit and decreased incidence of colorectal polyps.

There are several ways to diagnose Hypopharyngeal Cancer.

- Physical Examination:

The doctor checks for swollen lymph nodes and may look down the patient’s throat with a long handled mirror.

- Endoscopy, Esophagoscopy, or Bronchoscopy:

Inserted into the nose or mouth of the patient, this a thin, lighted tube that allows the doctor to see farther down the throat, into the esophagus or into the trachea.

- Biopsy:

This is a small tissue sample that can be acquired during an endosopy, esophagoscopy, or bronchoscopy. The tissue is analyzed for the presences of cancer cells.

- CT scan or MRI:

These tests will give doctors a detailed picture of any abnormalities in the body. For a CT scan, the patient often swallows a dye that coats the throat and provides a better image. An MRI is a better tool if the patient is pregnant because the test uses no radiation.

Some benign tumors need no treatment; others may be removed if they cause problems such as seizures, discomfort or cosmetic concerns. Surgery is usually the most effective approach and is used to treat most benign tumors. In some case other treatments may be of use. Adenomas of the rectum may be treated with sclerotherapy, a treatment in which chemicals are used to shrink blood vessels in order to cut off the blood supply. Most benign tumors do not respond to chemotherapy or radiation therapy, although there are exceptions; benign intercranial tumors are sometimes treated with radiation therapy and chemotherapy under certain circumstances. Radiation can also be used to treat hemangiomas in the rectum. Benign skin tumors are usually surgically resected but other treatments such as cryotherapy, curettage, electrodesiccation, laser therapy, dermabrasion, chemical peels and topical medication are used.

Patient response to treatment will vary based on age, health, and the tolerance to medications and therapies.

Metastasis occurs in about 39% of patients, most commonly to the lung. Features associated with poor prognosis include a large primary tumor (over 5 cm across), high grade disease, co-existent neurofibromatosis, and the presence of metastases.

It is a rare tumor type, with a relatively poor prognosis in children.

In addition, MPNSTs are extremely threatening in NF1. In a 10-year institutional review for the treatment of chemotherapy for MPNST in NF1, which followed the cases of 1 per 2,500 in 3,300 live births, chemotherapy did not seem to reduce mortality, and its effectiveness should be questioned. Although with recent approaches with the molecular biology of MPNSTs, new therapies and prognostic factors are being examined.

A stromal tumor is a tumor that arises in the supporting connective tissue of an organ.

Fibromas (or fibroid tumors or fibroids) are benign tumors that are composed of fibrous or connective tissue. They can grow in all organs, arising from mesenchyme tissue. The term "fibroblastic" or "fibromatous" is used to describe tumors of the fibrous connective tissue. When the term "fibroma" is used without modifier, it is usually considered benign, with the term fibrosarcoma reserved for malignant tumors.

In medicine, desmoplasia is the growth of fibrous or connective tissue. It is also called desmoplastic reaction to emphasize that it is secondary to an insult. Desmoplasia may occur around a neoplasm, causing dense fibrosis around the tumor, or scar tissue (adhesions) within the abdomen after abdominal surgery.

Desmoplasia is usually only associated with malignant neoplasms, which can evoke a fibrosis response by invading healthy tissue. Invasive ductal carcinomas of the breast often have a scirrhous, stellate appearance caused by desmoplastic formations.

Staging cancer is a way of marking the cancer’s progression and is measured on a 0 to 4 (IV) scale. To determine

each stage, smaller categories must be defined first: T. N. M. (tumor, lymph nodes, and metastasis). These were developed by the American Joint Committee on Cancer.

Soft-tissue sarcomas are relatively uncommon cancers. They account for less than 1% of all new cancer cases each year. This may be because cells in soft tissue, in contrast to tissues that more commonly give rise to malignancies, are not continuously dividing cells.

In 2006, about 9,500 new cases were diagnosed in the United States. Soft-tissue sarcomas are more commonly found in older patients (>50 years old) although in children and adolescents under age 20, certain histologies are common (rhabdomyosarcoma, synovial sarcoma).

Around 3,300 people were diagnosed with soft tissue sarcoma in the UK 2011.

The stroma of the prostate is characteristically muscular. Due to this muscularity, detecting the myofibroblastic phenotypic change indicative of reactive stroma is difficult in an examination of patient pathologic slides. A diagnosis of reactive stroma associated with prostate cancer is one of poor prognosis.

Colorectal polyps can be detected using a faecal occult blood test, flexible sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, virtual colonoscopy, digital rectal examination, barium enema or a pill camera.

Malignant potential is associated with

- degree of dysplasia

- Type of polyp (e.g. villous adenoma):

- Tubular Adenoma: 5% risk of cancer

- Tubulovillous adenoma: 20% risk of cancer

- Villous adenoma: 40% risk of cancer

- Size of polyp:

- <1 cm =<1% risk of cancer

- 1 cm=10% risk of cancer

- 2 cm=15% risk of cancer

Normally an adenoma which is greater than 0.5 cm is treated

PCNA and Ki67 immunoreactivity happens in case of fibroma and peripheral granuloma.

The diagnosis is made clinically, and usually this is clear cut if the lesion is associated with the flange of a denture. Tissue biopsy is not usually indicated before removal of the lesion, since the excises surgical specimen is usually sent for histopathologic examination and the diagnosis is confirmed retrospectively. Rarely, incisional biopsy may be indicated to rule out neoplasia, e.g. in the presence of suspicious ulceration. The appearance may also be confused with pyogenic granuloma.

The excessive tissue is composed of cellular, inflamed fibrous connective tissue. The appearance of an epulis fissuratum microscopically is an overgrowth of cells from the fibrous connective tissue. The epithelial cells are usually hyperkeratotic and irregular, hyperplastic rete ridges are often seen.

The most common hamartomas occur in the lungs. About 5–8% of all solitary lung nodules, about 75% of all benign lung tumors, are hamartomas. They almost always arise from connective tissue and are generally formed of cartilage, connective tissue, and fat cells, although they may include many other types of cells. The great majority of them form in the connective tissue on the outside of the lungs, although about 10% form deep in the linings of the bronchi. They can be worrisome, especially if situated deep in the lung, as it is sometimes difficult to make the important distinction between a hamartoma and a lung malignancy. An X-ray will often not provide a definitive diagnosis, and even a CT scan may be insufficient if the hamartoma lacks the typical cartilage and fat cells. Lung hamartomas may have popcorn-like calcifications on chest xray or computed tomography (CT scan).

Lung hamartomas are more common in men than in women, and may present additional difficulties in smokers.

Some lung hamartomas can compress surrounding lung tissue to a degree, but this is generally not debilitating and is often asymptomatic, especially for the more common peripheral growths. They are treated, if at all, by surgical resection, with an excellent prognosis: generally, the only real danger is the inherent possibility of surgical complications.