title: [Retroperitoneal sarcomas: a single center experience].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyse the management and clinical outcome of patients treated for retroperitonal soft tissue sarcoma and to identify prognosis factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective study of 20 adults ; 11 women and nine men treated between 1980 and 2000 in our institution.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were seven liposarcomas and 13 leiomyosarcomas. The mean tumor size was 26 cm. Three patients underwent a complete resection (R0), 14 patients an incomplete resection (R1/R2) with microscopic or macroscopic tumour remained after surgery. Only three patients had a surgical biopsy. Median follow-up was 18 months. Overall survival rates was 45%, 10% at two and five years, respectively. Among the following factors, sex, age, symptom duration, tumor size, histologic type, histologic grade, resection type, mitotic index, necrosis extension, histologic differentiation, and AJCC stage, only mitotic index factor (scale 1,2 versus scale 3) significantly influenced patient survival (p = 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study re-emphasizes the poor outcome of patients with retroperitoneal sarcoma. Survival rates appeared low when compared with other studies. These results incite for a more aggressive approach.
authors.affiliation: Service de chirurgie carcinologique, institut Salah Azaïz, boulevard 9-Avril-1938-Bab-Saadoun, Tunis 1006, Tunisie.
authors.forename: Ben Hassouna
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: J
authors.forename: Slimane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: M
authors.forename: Damak
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: T
authors.forename: Chargui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: R
authors.forename: Ben Bachouche
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: W
authors.forename: Oukad
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: M
authors.forename: Bouzaine
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: H
authors.forename: Bouzid
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: T
authors.forename: Mtallah
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: M
authors.forename: Khomsi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: F
authors.forename: Gamoudi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: A
authors.forename: Hechiche
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: M
authors.forename: Dhiab
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: T
authors.forename: Rahal
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: K
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012186:Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy