title: Retrorectal tumors: a case series.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Retrorectal masses are rarely encountered in surgical practice, and they arise from congenital remnants, and from osteogenic, neurogenic, inflammatory, or metastatic processes. The majority of these masses are benign but many can be malignant, so they need to be treated with aggressive surgical management.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this case series, eight patients with retrorectal masses of various etiologies are described, with particular emphasis on diagnosis and surgical treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In our series, we noted one duplication cyst, one tailgut cyst, one epidermoid cyst, one teratoma, one gastrointestinal stromal tumor, one epithelial malignant tumor, one inflammatory mass, and one retrorectal mass of as yet unknown origin. In three patients, complete excision via posterior sagittal approach was performed, one underwent abdominoperineal en-block proctectomy, two were only biopsied for neoadjuvant therapy, and two are waiting for operation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surgery is the main treatment of choice, and the surgical strategy should be decided according to the localization and nature of the retrorectal mass.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey. okurukahveci@yahoo.com
authors.forename: B Bülent
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Menteş
authors.forename: Osman
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kurukahvecioğlu
authors.forename: Bahadir
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ege
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karamercan
authors.forename: Sezai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leventoğlu
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yazicioğlu
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oğuz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003560:Cysts / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D046152:Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D012445:Sacrococcygeal Region / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013724:Teratoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome