[Results of surgical therapy of soft tissue sarcoma of the retroperitoneum]

Between 1.1.1973 and 30.6. 1993 57 patients underwent operation for soft-tissue sarcoma of the retroperitoneum. The histological classification showed in 21 cases a liposarcoma and in 14 cases a leiomyosarcoma. Other histological types like fibrosarcoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma or malignant schwannoma were only rarely seen. Complete resection (R-0-resection) was possible in 39 cases (73.5%). 6 patients underwent partial resection (R-2-resection) and 8 patients had only an explorative laparotomy because of an unresectable tumor. To realize a complete resection in 23 cases a multivisceral resection was necessary. The postoperative staging according to AJCC showed for 47.7% of the patients a stage III- or stage IV- disease. The clinical follow-up was observed between 3 months and 14.3 years. The cumulative 5-year-survival-rate for all patients was 38.2%. The most important factor for prognosis was the complete resection, while other factors like sex and age of patients, size of the tumor and histological type did not predict outcome. After complete resection the cumulative 5-year-survival-rate was 46.7%, while after partial resection or explorative laparotomy no patient survived 5 years.