Primary retroperitoneal tumors: report of 21 cases

A personal series of 21 cases of primary retroperitoneal tumors (PRT) are reported and the clinical features, diagnostic assessment, surgical treatment and results are examined. The problem of the complementary radio-chemotherapy, which is mandatory following surgical resection, is also dealt with. It is underlined that long-term results are improved only by early diagnosis and therefore the use of the most recent technical procedures, such as echotomography, computed tomography, and angiography, is stressed.