What is a malignant fibrous histiocytoma?

A malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) is a type of cancer called a soft tissue sarcoma.

Soft tissue sarcomas develop from the supportive tissues in the body including fibrous tissue, muscle, ligaments, tendons and fat. There are many different types of soft tissue sarcoma.

MFH is the commonest type. It can start in fibrous supportive tissue anywhere in the body and most often begins in a limb (an arm or leg). People between the ages of 50 to 70 years are most likely to be affected.

MFH usually starts as a quickly growing, painless swelling in the soft tissues. Usually there are few other symptoms, but occasionally MFH can cause high temperatures (fever) and weight loss.

As for most other soft tissue sarcomas, surgery is the usual treatment. This may be followed by a course of radiotherapy to reduce the chance of the cancer coming back. Occasionally a sarcoma is too large or attached to surrounding structures in the body for an operation to be possible. In this situation the doctors may recommend a course of radiotherapy or chemotherapy to try to shrink the sarcoma and make surgery possible. If the MFH is in a part of the body where surgery is impossible or dangerous, then radiotherapy is used, often combined with chemotherapy. With these treatments many people with MFH can be cured.