Adipocytes: Fat cells from which liposarcoma originates.

Adjuvant Therapy: Additional treatment given after the primary treatment to reduce the risk of cancer returning, often involving radiation or chemotherapy.

Biopsy: A medical procedure that involves taking a small sample of tissue from the tumor to determine whether it is cancerous and identify its type.

Chemotherapy: The use of drugs to kill cancer cells, though liposarcoma often has limited responsiveness to traditional chemotherapy.

Clinical Trial: A research study that tests new treatments or approaches to care, potentially offering new options for patients with liposarcoma.

Core Needle Biopsy: A specific type of biopsy often used for soft tissue tumors, where a large needle is used to extract tissue for analysis.

CT Scan (Computed Tomography): An imaging test that helps visualize the tumor and assess if it has spread.

Dedifferentiated Liposarcoma: A more aggressive subtype where the tumor contains areas of more primitive, rapidly growing cancer cells.

FNCLCC Grading System: A system used to grade soft tissue sarcomas like liposarcoma, helping predict the aggressiveness of the cancer.

Genetic Testing: A test that examines the DNA of a tumor to look for genetic mutations or abnormalities, which can help guide treatment decisions.

Immunohistochemistry (IHC): A laboratory test used to help diagnose cancer by detecting specific proteins (antigens) in cells from a tissue sample.

Liposarcoma: A rare type of tumor that arises from lipocytes, or fat cells, within the soft tissue in the body.

Margins: Refers to the edges of the tissue removed during surgery. Clear or negative margins mean no cancer cells are found at the outer edge of the tissue, indicating all the cancer may have been removed.

Metastasis: The process by which cancer spreads from the original (primary) location to other parts of the body.

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging): Another imaging test that provides detailed pictures of soft tissues, often used to evaluate liposarcoma.

Myxoid Liposarcoma: A subtype that tends to occur in younger patients and has a characteristic gelatinous texture when viewed under a microscope.

Neoadjuvant Therapy: Treatment given before the main treatment (such as surgery) to shrink the tumor, often involving chemotherapy or radiation.

Palliative Care: Supportive care focused on providing relief from symptoms and improving the quality of life for patients with serious illnesses, including advanced liposarcoma.

Pleomorphic Liposarcoma: The rarest and most aggressive form of liposarcoma, characterized by a high degree of variation in the size and shape of cancer cells.

Prognosis: The likely course or outcome of a disease, often discussed in terms of survival rates or expected treatment success.

Radiation Therapy: Treatment using high-energy radiation to kill cancer cells or shrink tumors, often used before or after surgery.

Recurrence: When cancer returns after treatment, either at the original site (local recurrence) or in other parts of the body (distant recurrence).

Resection: The surgical removal of all or part of a tissue, structure, or organ, often used in reference to removing a tumor.

Round Cell Liposarcoma: A high-grade form of myxoid liposarcoma that behaves more aggressively.

Sarcoma Center: A specialized treatment center where doctors have specific experience in diagnosing and treating sarcomas.

Sarcoma Multidisciplinary Team (MDT): A team of specialists (including oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, and surgeons) who work together to plan and manage sarcoma treatment.

Soft Tissue Sarcoma: A group of cancers that begin in the tissues that connect, support, or surround other body structures, including muscles, fat, blood vessels, and nerves.

Surgical Resection: The primary treatment for liposarcoma, involving the surgical removal of the tumor.

Targeted Therapy: A cancer treatment that uses drugs to target specific genes, proteins, or tissue environments that contribute to cancer growth, sometimes used in liposarcoma if specific mutations are found.

Tumor Grade: Refers to how much cancer cells resemble normal cells under a microscope, helping predict how quickly the cancer might grow and spread. Higher-grade tumors are generally more aggressive.

Well-Differentiated Liposarcoma: A subtype of liposarcoma with cells that look more like normal fat cells and tend to grow more slowly.