title: Unusual spread of liposarcoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of our study was to investigate the unusual pattern of metastatic spread of liposarcoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively studied thirty-two patients with liposarcoma (in seventeen located in the retroperitoneum and in fifteen in the extremities) who were managed at our institution over a ten-year period. Six patients with extremity liposarcoma developed local recurrence and or distal metastases and in three the site of the distal spread was other than the lungs. In only one patient with retroperitoneal liposarcoma we observed extra-pulmonary spread. The histologic type of all four cases with unusual spread was myxoid, with small areas of round cell differentiation in two cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The survival of the patients after the initial recurrence was relatively prolonged (6, 1.5, 8 and 3 years with the last patient alive and well).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Physicians should maintain a low threshold for initiating evaluation of relatively minor symptoms in patients with liposarcoma, as these symptoms may reflect the first manifestation of an extrapulmonary metastasis. Such an approach should result in earlier detection and hopefully improve survival for patients with liposarcoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Saint-Savvas Anticancer Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Vassilopoulos
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Voros
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Kelessis
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Katsilieris
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Apostolikas
mesh_terms: D000008:Abdominal Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary*; D006801:Humans; D008080:Liposarcoma / Q000473:pathology*; D018208:Liposarcoma, Myxoid / Q000473:pathology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010386:Pelvic Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary*; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017741:Survivors