Upper aerodigestive tract liposarcoma: report on four cases and literature review.

OBJECTIVE

To report on the clinical behavior, histopathology, treatment, and prognosis of laryngeal, hypopharyngeal, and cervical esophageal liposarcomas.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective reviews of pathology files and hospital records at a tertiary care hospital and a retrospective search of the English-language literature.

METHODS

Cases of upper aerodigestive tract (UADT) liposarcoma with adequate histopathologic documentation and clinical information were included for review.

RESULTS

Four cases of UADT liposarcomas were identified. The literature review revealed 26 cases of laryngeal liposarcomas, 7 cases of hypopharyngeal liposarcomas, and 6 cases of esophageal liposarcomas: the mean age at presentation was 55.8 years, the male:female ratio was 5:1, and 60% of the patients presented with dysphagia. Eighty-six percent of tumors had low-grade histologic findings. The recurrence rate after primary resection was 50%. Recurrence correlated with surgical procedure rather than with histologic subtype; 94.7% of recurrences happened after simple excision. Distant metastases occurred in three patients; two of them died of the disease.

CONCLUSIONS

The literature supports that UADT liposarcomas are rare and usually of low-grade histologic type. The rate of metastatic disease and tumor-related mortality is low. However, high recurrence rates have been noted, particularly when less radical surgery is employed.