Miettinen MM: Diagnostic Soft Tissue Pathology, 1st Edition, 800 pp, London, Churchill Livingstone, 2002 ($199.00).

With his book on soft tissue pathology, Dr. Markku Miettinen continues the tradition of the Chairs of the Department of Soft Tissue Pathology in publishing superb textbooks in this area of diagnostic pathology. This time it is a 800-page, superbly illustrated (all microphotographs are in full color) review of traditional microscopic and up-to-date immunohistochemical and molecular genetic characteristics of lesions of the organ system commonly referred to as “soft tissues.” Reading this outstanding book, one may wonder what constitutes soft tissues. The book goes into a great detail describing gastrointestinal stromal tumors, melanomas, and distribution of cytokeratins’ expression; all this could be considered a bit of an unorthodox approach in writing of “soft tissues” textbook. However, these chapters and paragraphs are excellently incorporated into a textbook that provides the most recent views on the diagnosis and pathogenesis of entities found under the umbrella of soft tissues.

There are 21 chapters. A separate chapter on immunohistochemistry of soft tissue tumors is a marvel and a reflection of the author’s extensive personal involvement in research and diagnostic applications of this technique. This is followed by a comprehensive chapter on the genetics of soft tissue tumors by Dr. Jerzy Lasota, again reflecting the great personal research experience of the author. Each following chapter deals with a traditional histogenetic group of tumors and consistently lists the most important clinical features, followed by the review of the most relevant histologic features, immunophenotype, and genetic alterations. The references are as recent as 2002, which is highly impressive.

This new book, although approximately one-third the size of the now classic Enzinger and Weiss’s Soft Tissue Tumors, manages to cover the same territory without compromising the quality. Future research on molecular mechanisms will undoubtedly shed more light on understanding of the diseases of soft tissues, which will hopefully lead to new editions of this thoroughly modern book.