[Giant retroperitoneal tumors: a 13.5 kg liposarcoma case report]

Retroperitoneal sarcomas (RS) are a rare group of malignant soft-tissue tumors. They generally grow until they reach large size before becoming symptomatic, often involving surrounding structures.

The paper reports the case of a particularly large retroperitoneal liposarcoma (diameter: 48 x 44 x 32 cm, weight: 13.500 kg) surgically treated in a 92-year old woman: the patient tolerated the procedure well and was discharged after a short hospitalization. The paper, moreover, focuses on the diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of this tumour. The need for radical surgery to remove the entire mass is certain, even if it is particularly large; furthermore, the patient must be carefully monitored since retroperitoneal recurrence is frequent and must be treated, wherever possible, surgically. After a review of the literature there is an evidence that higher tumor grade, non-liposarcoma histology, advanced stage, incomplete surgical resection, and microscopic infiltration of surgery resection margins were found to be significantly negative prognostic factors.

The study underlines the role of liposarcoma surgery management in order to offer the best chance of long-term survival and, especially on elderly patients, a better quality of life.