Surgery for retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcomas: aggressive re-resection of recurrent disease is possible.
BACKGROUND
Retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcomas represent a relatively rare and complex therapeutic problem where surgery forms the mainstay of treatment and is technically demanding. In this study, we review a single UK centre's experience with the surgical management of retro-peritoneal soft tissue sarcoma.


METHODS
We present analysis of data on patients treated between 1997 and 2006, our first 75 patients. Data collected from the Access database, included patient demographics, staging modalities, peri-operative details, treatment, outcome, pathological diagnosis and subsequent complications.


RESULTS
A total of 75 patients (M:F, 44:31) underwent 115 resectional procedures as part of the management of retroperitoneal soft-tissue sarcoma. There were 12 major complications for the 115 procedures (morbidity of 8.69%). The 30-day operative mortality was zero and the 90-day mortality rate was 1.33% (1/75). Follow-up ranged from 16-131 months. The median disease-free survival was 69 months (range, 59-78 months). Recurrences developed in 46 patients; median time to overall recurrence was 13 months (range, 3-71 months). Of these 46, 22 developed localised recurrence, which was amenable to further resection. In the cohort of patients with recurrent disease, median survival in those who underwent surgery was 53 months (range, 30-76 months) and median survival in those who did not undergo surgery was 30 months (range, 18-41 months) and this difference was statistically significant (log rank, P = 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Extensive resectional surgery with minimal morbidity, devoid of mortality is feasible in the treatment of retroperitoneal sarcoma. Development of recurrent disease is a significant factor influencing survival; however, localised recurrences are amenable to surgery and this can lead to improved survival.
Lochan
R
R
Regional Sarcoma Centre, Hepatopancreatobiliary and Transplantation Surgery, Department of Surgery, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
French
J J
JJ
Manas
D M
DM
D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D011379:Prognosis; D012086:Reoperation / Q000379:methods; D012186:Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
Ann Surg Oncol. 2008 Jun;15(6):1585-93
18398663
Surg Clin North Am. 2008 Jun;88(3):629-46, viii
18514703
Ann Surg. 1998 Sep;228(3):355-65
9742918
Surg Clin North Am. 2008 Jun;88(3):539-57, vi
18514697
Ann Surg Oncol. 2007 Mar;14(3):1114-22
17206483
Ann Surg Oncol. 2007 May;14(5):1528-9
17295083
Ann Surg Oncol. 2006 Apr;13(4):508-17
16491338
Ann Surg. 1990 Jul;212(1):51-9
2363604
Ann Surg. 2007 Jun;245(6):952-8
17522521
Cancer. 2004 Jun 1;100(11):2448-55
15160351
Ann Surg Oncol. 2005 Dec;12(12):1084-9
16244805
Eur J Surg Oncol. 2001 Aug;27(5):491-7
11504522