[Primary pelvic retroperitoneal tumors: clinical analysis of 36 cases]

To explorer the diagnostic rationales for primary pelvic retroperitoneal tumors and summarize their clinical characteristics and treatments.

The clinicopathological data of total of 36 patients with primary pelvic retroperitoneal tumor, who visited Peking Union Medical Collage Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences because of pelvic mass from January 1986 and September 2013 were analysed retrospectively. And their clinical manifestations, accessory examination, surgical findings, postoperative pathological results and prognosis were summarized.

Among the 36 patients, twenty-nine cases were treated by gynecology department firstly, 7 cases were treated by surgical department firstly. Only 7 cases complained abdominal expanding while others had no uncomfortable complains before the discovery of the tumor. Among 27 cases who took color Doppler ultrasonography examination, only 3 cases reminded that the tumors might come from the pelvic retroperitoneal space. CT and MRI results were respectively 6/16 and 3/6, that the tumor might come from the pelvic retroperitoneal space. The level of CA125 of 18 cases were tested before the surgery: 17 out of 18 cases were normal or elevated lightly. The tumors of 8 cases were excised incompletely because of the blood vessels around the tumors and the close relationship between the tumors and the pelvic wall, while other's were excised completely. Among the 25 cases that had operation at the gynecological department, ten cases underwent operations collaboratively with surgical department; two cases had complications of urinary system injures. Postoperative pathological examinations revealed there were 28 cases (78%, 28/36)with benign lesions including 11 schwannoma, 6 leiomyoma, 3 teratoma, 1 lymphangioleiomyoma, 1 neurofibroma, 1 paraganglioma, 2 fibromatosis, 1 aggressive angiomyxoma, 1 mucinous cystadenoma and 1 solitary fibrous tumor; and 8 cases(22% , 8/36)with malignant lesions including 3 leiomyosarcoma, 2 liposarcoma, 2 adenocarcinoma and 1 squamous carcinoma. During the follow-up period, 28 cases whose tumors were excised completely had no recurrence. While, 3 out of 8 cases excised incompletely recurred.

Primary pelvic retroperitoneal tumors have no typical manifestations, CT and MRI are more accurate. Surgery is a key for retroperitoneal tumors. Considering the complexity of the anatomy of the pelvic retroperitoneal space and the resulted difficulties of the surgeries, multidisiciplinary cooperation is needed and important.