Bone and soft tissue tumors constitute a heterogeneous group of neoplasms. Rendering a definitive diagnosis is complicated not only by the large volume of existing histologic subtypes, but also frequently by the presence of overlapping clinical, histologic, immunohistochemical, and/or radiographic features. Mesenchymal tumor-specific cytogenetic and molecular genetic abnormalities have demonstrated an increasingly important ancillary role in mesenchymal tumor diagnostics.

Dr. Scott R. Lauer provides consultative expertise in the diagnosis of soft tissue and bone lesions at Nebraska Medicine, regionally, and nationally. In addition to the cytopathologic and/or histopathologic evaluation of individual lesions, imaging studies are routinely reviewed with our bone and soft tissue radiology experts.

Bone and soft tissue tumors in both adults and children are also evaluated at the molecular level and a broad menu of tests are offered including:

• Conventional cytogenetic analysis with karyotyping
• Molecular cytogenetic or fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis to include numerous custom-designed probe sets in addition to commercially available probes for entities such as Ewing sarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, clear cell sarcoma, dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, liposarcoma, and aneurysmal bone cyst among others
• Molecular diagnostics for fusion transcript analysis for Ewing sarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, and synovial sarcoma