[Primary retroperitoneal tumors].

73 patients, 41 males and 32 females, were treated for primary retroperitoneal tumours between 1974 and 1984. Mean age of the patients was 45.9 years (range: 1 day-79 years). Early symptoms of the tumours were atypical. Initial diagnosis showed a palpable abdominal tumour in 47 patients. Computed tomography is the most important radiologic tool for the diagnosis. In 32 patients the tumour could be removed completely. Intraoperatively, at least one additional organ had to be removed in all patients to ensure radicality of extirpation. Histology showed most tumours to be lymphomas or sarcomas. At the time of diagnosis, 21 patients were found to have metastases. Operative mortality rate was 11%. The overall prognosis in patients with primary retroperitoneal tumours is poor; the 5-year survival rate for malignant tumors was 9%. Combination of radio- and chemotherapy has somewhat improved this dim prognosis in recent years.