title: Resectability and survival in retroperitoneal sarcomas.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Retroperitoneal sarcomas historically have presented difficulties in their management due to a high rate of unresectability, which affects the survival of these patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 87 consecutive patients with retroperitoneal sarcomas treated in the period 1977-1994.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The resectability rate was 100% for the primary tumors (n = 55) and 87% for the locally recurrent tumors (n = 32). The 5-year survival rate was 63% (66% for the primary tumors and 57% for those with local recurrence). The 10-year survival rate was 46% (57% for primary tumors and 26% for those referred with locally recurrent tumor). The overall local recurrence rate was 31% (25% for the primary tumors and 41% for those referred with local recurrence); it was 56% after local excision and 15% after wide resection (p = 0.0003). The 10-year disease-free survival of patients with local excision (n = 25) was 7%, and that of patients with wide resection (n = 54) 59% (p = 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The overall resectability rate of retroperitoneal sarcomas was 95%. Wide resection produced a significantly higher survival rate compared with that of local excision. The survival rate for the primary tumors, varying significantly with the histologic grade, approached the rate reported for primary soft-tissue sarcomas of the extremity.
authors.affiliation: Millard Fillmore Hospitals, Buffalo 14209, USA.
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Karakousis
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Velez
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gerstenbluth
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Driscoll
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012186:Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome