LIPOSARCOMA IN PATIENTS YOUNGER THAN OR EQUAL TO 22 YEARS OF AGE

Background. There have been few reported series of liposarcomas in pat ients younger than or equal to 22 years of age. Methods. A retrospecti ve analysis of all patients presenting with liposarcoma between 1949-1 990 at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center with age at diagnosis yo unger than or equal to 22 years was performed. Variables evaluated for their predictive effect on survival included anatomic location of the primary, size, and completeness of surgical resection. Results. Eight een patients were identified. Only 1 patient (6%) presented with a hig h-grade lesion, and in 13 patients (72%), the myxoid subtype was obser ved. All but one patient undergoing complete resection remain disease- free 1.3-29.1 years after treatment, while all patients with gross res idual tumor have died from disease. Two of three patients with microsc opic residual at resection are disease-free 2 and 11.8 years after dia gnosis with the addition of external beam radiation therapy. Conclusio ns. The authors conclude that complete surgical resection is crucial f or survival in young patients with liposarcoma and that external beam radiation therapy may be effective against microscopic residual.