The records of 63 patients surgically treated for liposarcoma at the Cleveland Clinic between 1975 and 1995 were examined. Both metastatic disease (Enneking stage IIl) and an abdominal location were found to be poor prognosticants for survival. Age, gender, or tumor size, setting, or grade did not have any prognostic significance. The 5-year disease-specific survival for extremity tumors was 92% (95% confidence interval [CI]; range: 84%-100%), while general 5-year survival for extremity tumors was 66% (95% Cl; range: 48%-85%).