Diagnosis and treatment of primary and recurrent retroperitoneal liposarcoma.

We retrospectively reviewed 16 patients in whom primary retroperitoneal liposarcoma was diagnosed and treated. These patients were classified according to the first definitive surgical procedure employed: complete excision with or without radiotherapy; partial excision followed by radiotherapy; only biopsy of tumor followed by radiotherapy. Distribution of tumors according to histologic type was: well differentiated myxoid type, 10; poorly differentiated myxoid type, 4; and mixed type, 2. The main factor in determining resectability was extent and fixation of tumor to vital structures. Recurrent retroperitoneal disease developed in four patients all of whom underwent secondary intervention. We concluded from our experience that complete surgical excision is the most effective primary therapeutic approach for patients with primary and recurrent retroperitoneal liposarcoma.