Surgical management of unresectable retroperitoneal leiomyosarcomas

Retroperitoneal leiomyosarcomas are rare tumors with a poor prognosis. These tumors are often deemed unresectable because of their large size when diagnosed. This study presents two recent patients who show that retroperitoneal leiomyosarcomas can be resected successfully. Adjuvant radiotherapy is useful in treatment of patients with residual disease. Although the contribution of chemotherapy in prophylaxis and treatment of these tumors remains undefined, various chemotherapeutic regimens are currently under investigation.