[Active surgical approach for retroperitoneal liposarcoma]

Surgical management of giant retroperitoneal liposarcoma: Case report

Tumors originating from soft tissues are uncommon, among these tumors, liposarcomas are the most frequent. These tumors remain asymptomatic for a long time, and only revealing themselves when they reach an important size. In such cases, treatment is difficult, requiring extensive surgery procedures that can excise several adjacent structures, potentially completed by adjuvant radiotherapy. Despite successful treatment, the recurrence rate remains very high. We report the case of a giant liposarcoma requiring a monobloc extensive resection involving the removal of the tumor, left kidney, left adrenal gland, and a portion of the posterior abdominal wall.

Giant Retroperitoneal Liposarcoma: Correlation Between Size and Risk for Recurrence

Soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) are rare tumors that represent almost 1% of adult malignant tumors. The annual incidence rate for such tumors is 2 - 5/100,000 population. The most common type of STS in adults is liposarcoma, which represents 15-20% of adult STSs. It is of mesodermic origin derived from adipose tissues, and known as the most common primary malignant tumor of the retroperitoneum. Other sites of involvement include the extremities, trunk and to a lesser extent the pleural cavity, esophagus, mediastinum and others. Due to the potential large retroperitoneal space, retroperitoneal liposarcoma (RPL) is usually asymptomatic during the initial phase, developing symptoms at a late stage due to large mass compressing nearby retroperitoneal structures. The average diameter and weight of RPL during diagnosis is 20 - 25 cm and 15 - 20 kg, respectively. Several factors were labelled as risk factors for recurrence, such as histological type, tumor grade, age, resectability and tumor size. Controversy exists regarding the relationship between tumor size and recurrence rate, thus, tumor size as a risk factor for recurrence should be clarified. Although there is no consensus regarding the precise definition of giant RPL, it is defined by several literatures as an RPL of greater than 30 cm in diameter or with weight of more than 20 kg. The main purpose of this article is to review the current English literature regarding giant RPL and examine the relationship between tumor size and risk for recurrence.