RESULTS OF SURGICAL-TREATMENT OF SOFT-TIS SUE SARCOMAS OF THE RETROPERITONEUM

Between 1.1.1973 and 30.6.1993 57 patients underwent operation for sof t-tissue sarcoma of the retroperitoneum. The histological classificati on showed in 21 cases a liposarcoma and in 14 cases a leiomyosarcoma. Other histological types like fibrosarcoma, malignant fibrous histiocy toma or malignant schwannoma were only rarely seen. Complete resection (R-0-resection) was possible in 39 cases (73,5 %). patients underwent partial resection (R-2-resection) and 8 patients had only an explorat ive laparotomy because of an unresectable tumor. To realize a complete resection in 23 cases a multivisceral resection was necessary. The po stoperative staging according to AJCC showed for 47,7 % of the patient s a stage III- or stage IV- disease. The clinical follow-up was observ ed between 3 months and 14,3 years. The cumulative 5-year-survival-rat e for all patients was 38,2 %. The most important factor for prognosis was the complete resection, while other factors like sex and age of p atients, size of the tumor and histological type did not predict outco me. After complete resection the cumulative 5-year-survival-rate was 4 6,7 %, while after partial resection or explorative laparotomy no pati ent survived 5 years.