Pleomorphic liposarcoma

Pleomorphic liposarcoma (PLS) is defined as a high-grade pleomorphic sarcoma containing multivacuolated lipoblasts. PLS arises most frequently in the extremities of older individuals and often metastasizes to the lungs. The prognosis of PLS parallels that of many other high-grade sarcomas. In a small analysis combining clinicopathologic data available from 16 previously reported and 8 additional cases of PLS arising in the extremities, the 5-year overall survival rate for the 24 patients was 40% (median survival, 48 months). By univariate analysis, patients with tumors located in the upper extremities (P = .021) and greater than 10 cm (P = .047) had decreased overall survival. Older age, female sex, epithelioid phenotype, and radiotherapy or chemotherapy administration were not significantly associated with an adverse outcome.