To properly treat soft tissue tumors, the foot and ankle surgeon must start with an adequate fund of knowledge and follow a systematic approach. Some malignant soft tumors have a predilection for the foot and ankle, and they may mimic common musculoskeletal conditions, leading to a trap for the unwary clinician. This review will familiarize the practitioner with the common soft tissue tumors that occur in the foot and ankle along with their presentations. A systematic approach to the workup is outlined, which is designed to establish the diagnosis with a significant degree of certainty before the surgical treatment of the tumor is planned. A practical and reliable method of distinguishing benign tumors from those that are potentially malignant is presented. Finally, the techniques for surgical management of the common soft tissue tumors are summarized.
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