The management of primitive retroperitoneal tumors - problems of clinical, imagistic diagnosis, and treatment

Retroperitoneal tumors, whether primary or resulting from the metastasis of other tumors, are a real challenge for the surgeon, as regards their diagnosis and treatment. They are relatively rare, under 0.2 % of the total number of tumors. The clinical examination of retroperitoneal tumors is uncharacteristic and misleading, consisting mainly in palpation of the tumor proper and in pain. The other signs and symptoms often result from the affected neighboring organs. The imagistic investigations used in diagnosing retroperitoneal tumors are ecography, intravenous pielography, computed tomography, MRI, PET/CT. The main treatment is the surgical one, consisting either in the total or partial excision of the tumor, or in biopsic material samples with a view to making a histopathologic diagnosis. Post-operatory evolution depends mainly on the thoroughness of the surgical treatment, that is the complete excision of the tumor, which increases the chances of survival, while lowering the risk of relapse.