Abstract

The factors influencing the complete excision of retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcomas were retrospectively reviewed through the records of 21 consecutive patients who were operated on for primary soft tissue sarcomas of the area. Liposarcoma, malign schwannoma, leiomyosarcoma and fibrosarcoma were the most freguent histology types. More than half of the tumors were high-grade, and two-thirds were already at stage IV. All of the 7 (%33) totally resected tumors were low-grade while most of the unresectable the ones were high-grade. None of the liposarcomas and fibrosarcomas could be resected. However, all of three leiomyosarcomas were totally resected. Partial resection and biopsy-only were performed in 6 and 8 patients, consecutively. The age, sex and symptoms of patients were irrelevant with the resectability of the tumors. The significant unresectability criteria of this study was found to be extensive local disease, invasion of major vessels, the location, histology type, grade and the stage of the tumor.