Hemangiopericytoma 11 years later: delayed recurrence of a rare soft tissue sarcoma

Hemangiopericytomas (HPCs) are uncommon tumours. We present the case of a 41-year-old female with multiple resections at different sites over the course of 11 years. The approach considerations, as well as treatment options and prognosis are discussed. A 41-year-old female with two previous resections for intracranial meningeal HPC in 2004 and 2008, as well as adjuvant radiotherapy, presented in 2015 with left intrathoracic and left hip recurrence confirmed by positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT). She underwent left proximal femur resection/reconstruction and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) resection of the intrathoracic tumour was attempted. She was discharged home on her 4th post-operative day with minimal pain. There were no neurosensory or motor deficits. Any patient who has been diagnosed with HPC in the past who develops new symptoms should be worked up for recurrence, regardless of the length of disease-free interval, as our case study suggested. There has yet to be a standardized follow-up regime due to the rarity of these tumours. HPC remains a rare soft tissue sarcoma with high recurrence rate. Planned VATS evaluation and resection is possible provided complete resection with clear surgical margins can be achieved, as clear surgical margins offer the best chance of survival.