| Alveolar soft part sarcoma | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Alveolar soft-tissue sarcoma |
 | |
| Micrograph of an alveolar soft part sarcoma, showing the characteristic alveolar-like architecture and cells with eccentric nuclei and abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm. H&E stain. | |
| Specialty | Oncology  |
Alveolar soft part sarcoma, abbreviated ASPS, is a very rare type of soft-tissue sarcoma, that grows slowly and whose cell of origin is unknown.
ASPS arises mainly in children and young adults and can migrate (metastasize) into other parts of the body, typically the lungs and the brain. Typically, ASPS arises in muscles and deep soft tissue of the thigh or the leg (lower extremities), but can also appear in the upper extremities (hands, neck, and head). While ASPS is a soft tissue sarcoma, it can also spread and grow inside the bones.