Prognostic factors in retroperitoneal sarcomas: Ploidy of DNA as a predictor of clinical outcome

Background and Objectives: Radical surgery is the best mode of treatment of retroperitoneal sarcomas (RS); however, common recurrences are unpredictab le. Methods: For the better understanding of outcomes and possibilities of trea tment retrospective analysis of different factors, including DNA content, w as performed based on 70 patients. Results: Leiomyosarcoma and liposarcoma were most common histologic types o f classified sarcomas. Different kinds of resection were successfully perfo rmed in 51 patients (73%) and 35 of their available DNA specimens were anal yzed. The actuarial 5- and 10-year survival rates in the resection group we re 53% and 40%, respectively, with the median survival of 57 months. Patien ts with diploid resected tumors had a better 10-year survival rate (58%), t han those patients with aneuploid tumors (25%,)-P < 0.005. Those patients w ith low-grade sarcomas had a significantly longer survival than those with high-grade sarcomas (10-year survival rate: 44% compared to 29%). In the un ivariate analysis, adjuvant therapy, type of histology, type of surgery, lo cation of tumor, and S-phase fraction had no influence on survival. In the multivariate analysis (Cox), only ploidy was an independent prognostic vari able. Relative risk of death was over three times higher for aneuploid than for diploid tumors. Conclusion: Tumor ploidy should be analyzed in every case of retroperitonea l sarcoma for better assessment of prognosis and possible indication for ad juvant therapy. J. Surg. Oncol. 1999:71:32-35. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.