Non-cancerous soft tissue tumours

A non-cancerous (benign) tumour of the soft tissue is a growth that doesn’t spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body. Non-cancerous tumours are not usually life-threatening.

Non-cancerous soft tissue tumours are more common than soft tissue sarcomas. They are grouped by type of soft tissue (fat, fibrous or muscle).

Lipoma is the most common type of non-cancerous soft tissue tumour. Itʼs usually a soft, painless lump that grows slowly. You may have more than one lipoma. Most lipomas develop in the fat tissue just under the skin (subcutaneous). They are usually found in the torso (trunk of the body) and the arms and legs.

Hibernoma is a slow-growing, painless lump. It usually develops in the chest (thorax). It can also develop in the torso and limbs.

Lipoblastoma (also called lipoblastomatosis) develops in babies and young children. It’s a rare type of lipoma that is made up of immature fat cells.

Angiolipoma is a non-cancerous soft tissue tumour made up of fat and small blood vessels. It often appears as a small lump under the skin. It can sometimes be tender or painful.

Fibroma is a term used to describe a group of non-cancerous tumours that is associated with fibrous tissue, such as tendons and ligaments. Fibromas are usually slow-growing tumours.

Elastofibroma is a rare, slow-growing non-cancerous tumour. Elastofibromas usually develop between the lower part of the shoulder blade and the chest wall. They are most often found in older adults.

Superficial fibromatosis is when small, non-cancerous tumours develop in the tissues of the hands, feet or penis. These tumours tend to grow slowly. Superficial fibromatosis is most common in a hand and is called palmar fibromatosis. When it happens in a foot, it’s called plantar fibromatosis. When it happens in the penis, itʼs called penile fibromatosis. They are likely to come back after they are removed.

Desmoid tumours are usually non-cancerous. They often start in the arms, legs or abdomen but don’t spread to other parts of the body. These tumours tend to come back after treatment and grow into (invade) nearby tissue.

Leiomyomas are non-cancerous tumours that develop in smooth muscle. They can start almost anywhere in the body but are most common in the uterus and gastrointestinal (GI) tract. When a leiomyoma develops in the uterus, it may also be called a fibroid. They don’t always cause symptoms, but they may be painful.

Rhabdomyomas are rare, non-cancerous tumours that start in skeletal muscle.

Hemangiomas are soft tissue tumours caused by an abnormal buildup of blood vessels. They are found in the skin or internal organs, such as the liver. They are common in children. Many small hemangiomas go away on their own.

Glomus tumours are rare soft tissue tumours that develop around blood vessels. They are usually found under the skin of the hands, wrists and feet. They appear as a small, bluish-red lump and can be very painful. There is also a cancerous type of glomus tumour called malignant glomus tumour (glomangiosarcoma).

Lymphangiomas develop in the lymph vessels. They can happen at any age but are often present at birth or develop in children under the age of 2 years. They usually develop in the head and neck area. Lymphangiomas grow slowly and can become quite large.

Angioleiomyoma is a soft tissue tumour that begins in the smooth muscle in the walls of blood vessels. It is usually a small lump under the skin. It may be painful, especially when pressed.

Non-cancerous tumours of the blood and lymph vessels are also called vascular tumours. If a tumour is found around a blood or lymph vessel, itʼs called a perivascular tumour.

Neurofibroma is a small, slow-growing lump in the nerves just under the skin or in other parts of the body. It can be associated with major nerves. Neurofibromas usually develop in adults in their 30s. People with neurofibromatosis type 1 often develop many neurofibromas.

Schwannoma is a slow-growing tumour that starts in cells (called Schwann cells) that make up the protective covering (sheath) around the nerves. These tumours can develop almost anywhere in the body and are associated with small and major nerves. Schwannomas are found most often in adults 20 to 50 years old.

Granular cell tumour is thought to develop in nerve tissue. It usually develops in the mouth, but can happen almost anywhere in the body.

The following are non-cancerous soft tissue tumours that have not been linked to a type of soft tissue cell. Doctors donʼt know what type of cell these tumours started from.

Myxoma is a rare tumour that is usually found in the large muscles of a limb (intramuscular myxoma). It can also be found in the heart (cardiac myxoma).

Perivascular epithelioid cell tumours (PEComas) are rare tumours that are usually found around blood vessels in the uterus, kidney or lungs. Most PEComas are non-cancerous, but they can be cancerous in rare cases.