Liposarcoma of the head and neck: The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center experience.
BACKGROUND
Our aim was to review our experience with liposarcoma of the head and neck region.


METHODS
This is a retrospective case series at a comprehensive cancer center (1945-2005).


RESULTS
Of 30 patients, 10 (33%) were initially misdiagnosed. Local recurrences were common (overall rate = 53%), and 4 patients (13%) developed distant metastases. Decreased crude disease-specific survival rates were significantly associated with recurrence (especially distant recurrence [0%]), age less than 38 years (40%), and pleomorphic subtype (45%); however, in Kaplan-Meier analyses, only larger tumor size, negative margins, round cell subtype, and pleomorphic subtype were associated with significantly decreased disease-specific survival (log-rank test p = .048, .041, .021, and .012, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Based on this limited experience and existing literature, we continue to recommend surgery with negative margins as the treatment of choice and that adjuvant therapies should be considered in patients with high-grade histology, large tumors, positive margins, or certain subsites.
Davis
Erica C
EC
Department of Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
Ballo
Matthew T
MT
Luna
Mario A
MA
Patel
Shreyakumar R
SR
Roberts
Dianna B
DB
Nong
Xiaolin
X
Sturgis
Erich M
EM