[Retroperitoneal liposarcoma. Clinico-pathological analysis of 6 cases]

Six patients with retroperitoneal liposarcoma are reported. Their mean age was 58,66 years. There were four males and two females. The symptoms or signs at presentation were: abdominal mass (5 cases); abdominal pain (3 cases); sustained fever (2 cases), and lower limb edema (1 case). Abdominal computed tomography (CT) showed large masses with different density. Distant metastases were not documented. All patients underwent laparotomy, and the tumor was not resectable in 2 cases. In the histological study, liposarcoma was shown to be myxoid in 4 cases, pleomorphic in one and round cell type in the remaining case. In 3 patients local relapse was observed. The longest survival was 38 months and the shortest one 3 months. It was concluded that the leading cause for consultation in these patients was an abdominal mass. Remarkably, two patients had the uncommon feature of sustained tumoral fever. CT was shown to be the most useful diagnostic method. The good general condition of the patients with large tumoral masses was remarkable. The most common variety was myxoid, local relapse was frequent and the survival was poor.