Anterior Approach to En Bloc Resection in Left-Sided Retroperitoneal Sarcoma with Adjacent Organ Involvement: A Study of 25 Patients in a Single Center

BACKGROUND: There is no standard surgical approach for the management of retroperitoneal sarcoma. The aim of this clinical study was to describe the experience of an anterior approach to en bloc resection in left-sided retroperitoneal sarcoma with adjacent organ involvement. MATERIAL/METHODS: This retrospective clinical study included 25 patients who were diagnosed with left-sided retroperitoneal sarcoma and underwent tumor resection at a single center between May 2012 and July 2017. All patients had tumors that were adjacent to the left colon, pancreas, left kidney, left adrenal gland, and psoas major; some of the tumors were adjacent to the diaphragm, stomach, and small intestine. An anterior approach was used to remove the left-sided retroperitoneal tumor with the adhesive organs en bloc, an approach that is described in detail. The value of this surgical approach was evaluated based on the histopathological findings, postoperative complications, and patient follow-up. RESULTS: The median number of resected organs, in addition to the retroperitoneal tumor, was 8 (range, 6–10). Complete macroscopic tumor resection was achieved in 23 cases (92%). Twenty-four patients (96%) had tumor infiltration of at least one organ or the surrounding fat. Three patients (12%) experienced Grade III and IV postoperative morbidities. The one-year disease-free survival rate was 91.3% among patients with macroscopically complete resections. The one-year overall survival rate was 83.2%. CONCLUSIONS: In selected patients, left-sided retroperitoneal sarcoma associated with local organ involvement can be surgically managed using an anterior approach with en bloc resection of adjacent organs.