Effect of resection and outcome in patients with retroperitoneal sarcoma.
BACKGROUND
A consecutive series of 47 patients with retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS) were resected and prospectively followed.


METHODS
Between July 1994 and March 2005, 47 patients (24 men, 23 women; mean age, 56 years; range, 17-82 years) were evaluated.


RESULTS
A total of 23 patients had primary RPS and 24 patients had recurrent RPS. A total of 30 out of 47 patients (64%) underwent removal of contiguous intra-abdominal organs. The peroperative mortality was nil and significant preoperative complications occurred in eight cases only (17%). High tumour grade and incomplete resection were significant variables for a worse survival in all 47 patients, both in the univariate and multivariate analyses (P = 0.008 and P = 0.016, respectively). Among 28 radically resected patients, only histological grade affected overall survival (90% 5-year survival for low-grade tumour vs 26% 5-year survival for high-grade tumour; P = 0.006) with a similar effect noted for disease-free survival.


CONCLUSIONS
Histological grade was the only factor that affected overall and disease-free survival for RPS tumours. An aggressive surgical approach in both primary and recurrent RPS is associated with long-term survival.
Chiappa
Antonio
A
Department of General Surgery, European Institute of Oncology, University of Milan, Italy. antonio.chiappa@unimi.it
Zbar
Andrew P
AP
Biffi
Roberto
R
Bertani
Emilio
E
Biella
Francesca
F
Viale
Giuseppe
G
Pace
Ugo
U
Pruneri
Giancarlo
G
Orecchia
Roberto
R
Lazzari
Roberta
R
Poldi
Davide
D
Andreoni
Bruno
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012186:Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome