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Retroperitoneal Sarcoma: Is It Time to Change the Surgical Policy?

  • Bone and Soft Tissue Sarcomas
  • Published:
Annals of Surgical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Complete tumor resection is the mainstay of treatment for retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS), but the size and quality of surgical margins for radical resection in RPS are unknown. They are believed to be pushing tumors, but recently, aggressive surgical policies leading to multivisceral resection have seemed to suggest better local control compared with simple tumor resection. We analyzed a single-institution series of RPS to provide information useful to surgical decision-making.

Methods

From 1996 to 2008, 77 patients referred to our institution underwent surgery for primary RPS. Thirty tumors were classified as liposarcoma, and 20 as leiomyosarcoma. Potential prognostic factors were tested retrospectively. Number and pathologic status of resected organs were assessed.

Results

151 organs were resected. Ninety-two were involved by the tumor (60.9%). Liposarcoma involved 48 of 77 organs resected for this histotype (62.3%). Infiltrative pattern was observed in 39/92 organs, and expansive pattern in 53/92 viscera. The infiltrative pattern was more often observed in leiomyosarcoma and non-lipogenic tumors. The expansive pattern was more often observed in liposarcoma. Psoas was the organ most often involved by infiltrative pattern (12/14); the kidney was the organ most often involved by expansive pattern (19/28). 80% of patients had at least one viscera infiltrated by the tumor.

Conclusions

This series, in which an aggressive surgical policy was adopted along with extensive pathologic sampling, shows that RPS has a high rate of viscera infiltration. This growth pattern is characteristic of well-differentiated liposarcoma too. These pathologic data should be considered when planning surgical strategy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sarcoma Unit, Surgical Department, Istituto Clinico Humanitas, University of Milan School of Medicine, Rozzano (Milan), Italy

    Chiara Mussi MD, Massimiliano Coladonato MD, Pietro Bagnoli MD & Vittorio Quagliuolo MD

  2. Pathology Department, Istituto Clinico Humanitas, University of Milan School of Medicine, Rozzano (Milan), Italy

    Piergiuseppe Colombo MD

  3. Medical Oncology and Hematology Department, Istituto Clinico Humanitas, University of Milan School of Medicine, Rozzano (Milan), Italy

    Alexia Bertuzzi MD, Simona Secondino MD & Armando Santoro MD

  4. Radiotherapy Department, Istituto Clinico Humanitas, University of Milan School of Medicine, Rozzano (Milan), Italy

    Pierina Navarria MD

  5. Department of Biostatistics, Istituto Clinico Humanitas, University of Milan School of Medicine, Rozzano (Milan), Italy

    Emanuela Morenghi BSc

Authors
  1. Chiara Mussi MD
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  2. Piergiuseppe Colombo MD
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  3. Alexia Bertuzzi MD
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  4. Massimiliano Coladonato MD
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  5. Pietro Bagnoli MD
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  6. Simona Secondino MD
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  7. Pierina Navarria MD
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  8. Emanuela Morenghi BSc
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  9. Armando Santoro MD
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  10. Vittorio Quagliuolo MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Vittorio Quagliuolo MD.

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Mussi, C., Colombo, P., Bertuzzi, A. et al. Retroperitoneal Sarcoma: Is It Time to Change the Surgical Policy?. Ann Surg Oncol 18, 2136–2142 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-011-1742-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-011-1742-z

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