Does compartmental resection really impact retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcomas? A retrospective analysis from a Single Referral Center.

BACKGROUND

The treatment of choice for retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcomas (RPS) is surgical resection; the outcomes with more radical surgeries, notably compartmental resection, remains a subject of debate. Arguments against it, include the complexity of the technique and high morbidity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective analysis of cases treated in a single center from January 2010 to December 2019 is presented. Two time periods were evaluated: 2010-2015 and 2016-2019, corresponding to before and after the implementation of routine compartmentectomy. We evaluated the short- and long-term outcomes of compartmental resection compared to limited surgeries through a multivariate analysis of prognostic factors.

RESULTS

A total of 176 cases were included, of which 102 met the inclusion criteria. The sex distribution was similar. The average age was 52.9 years, and the average tumor size was 24.5 cm. The most frequent histology was liposarcoma (65.7%), followed by leiomyosarcoma (12.7%), and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (8.8%). The median follow-up period was 40 months. We found a lower local recurrence in the group treated in the recent period (compartmentectomy) 42.3% vs 20% p = 0.007. The median overall survival (OS) was 38.7 months, and there was no difference in distant recurrence between the two time periods. Postoperative morbidity was higher in the recent period (25% vs 10% p 0.041), with no difference in 30-day mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

The implementation of extensive surgery, specifically compartmentectomy, for retroperitoneal sarcomas has been linked to reduced local recurrence. We recommend considering this surgical approach for RPS in alignment with current expert consensus guidelines, as highlighted by the updated TARPSWG consensus.