Primary soft tissue tumours of the pelvis causing referred pain in the leg.

Referred pain in the leg is occasionally due to a pelvic soft tissue tumour. Among 11 patients who presented this way, one had a lymphoma, one had a benign schwannoma, and nine had soft tissue sarcomas. Most patients had undergone a variety of procedures, including laminectomy, before the correct diagnosis was established. In five cases, an accurate diagnosis was obtained by needle biopsy. The lymphoma responded to chemotherapy, and the benign schwannoma was excised. Of the nine patients with soft tissue sarcoma, six underwent marginal/intracapsular excision, three receiving supplementary radiotherapy, and two were treated by nonsurgical means. Hindquarter amputation was technically impossible or inappropriate in these cases. All those with high-grade tumours have died or have metastases. Of four patients with low-grade tumours, three have exhibited only slow disease progression. Careful judgment and a precise histopathological diagnosis are required in planning treatment for patients with pelvic soft tissue tumours causing referred pain in the leg.