The editors' summary of the sixth edition WHO Classification of Soft Tissue and Bone Tumours sets out what has changed. Written by 203 contributors from 27 countries across pathology, genetics, oncology, surgery and radiology, it covers 116 soft tissue tumours, 46 bone tumours, 18 vascular tumours of soft tissue and bone and 62 sarcomas in total.
Nineteen new tumour types were added. Essential and desirable diagnostic criteria have been refined with different resource settings in mind, so a diagnosis can be reached where molecular testing is limited. The terminology is tightened: a subtype now differs from its parent type in a way that ideally changes treatment or outcome, while a morphological pattern, the term replacing 'variant', aids recognition but carries no different behaviour.
For reporting pathologists this means updating templates and terminology, and knowing which new entities depend on molecular confirmation. For laboratories with limited molecular access, the explicit essential-versus-desirable split is the most practical change.
The summary itself does not list every change; departments will need the full volume to update local diagnostic pathways.
- Update soft tissue and bone reporting templates to sixth edition terminology.
- Replace 'variant' with 'morphological pattern' where behaviour is unchanged.
- Use the essential criteria to reach a diagnosis when molecular tests are not available.
- Identify which new entities require molecular confirmation and plan send-out pathways.
- Brief sarcoma multidisciplinary teams on renamed and new entities.
Why it matters
A shared diagnostic language for sarcoma has just changed, and reports, coding and trial eligibility follow it.
Read the rest in the app
You have read your two free briefings this month. The app carries all 27 specialties, every morning, free — and this finding is waiting in it.
Scan to keep reading on your phone. No account needed to start.
Tomorrow morning, before your first patient
One edition a day for pathology, written by the desk, every claim tied to its paper. Six minutes.
Get the app — free