Retroperitoneal sarcomas: pre-operative assessment and surgical therapy

The clinical and pathological records of 22 patients treated for retroperitoneal sarcomas were retrospectively studied. The initial symptoms were pain and swelling of the abdomen in 11 patients. All tumours had a diameter of more than 10 cm. The pathological diagnosis was in 16 cases liposarcoma or leiomyosarcoma. Fourteen tumours were graded as high and eight as low. Sixteen of the 22 operated patients had complete resection of the tumour. Eleven patients had recurrence after five to 42 months, nine of them local recurrence and two distant metastases. Eleven patients needed repeated radical or palliative resections. Additional therapy (pre- or post-operative radiation or chemotherapy) was given to 11 patients. Radical resection of primary and recurrent tumours seems to give the best results in patients with retroperitoneal sarcomas but debulking of the tumour improves the quality of life in selected patients.