Myxoid liposarcoma: a rare mesenchymal tumor

Abstract

Background: sarcomas are rare, malignant mesenchymal neoplasia, which represent 1% of solid tumors of adults. They are classified into subtypes: well-differentiated, undifferentiated, myxoid, pleomorphic, mixed and unclassified.
Materials and methods: a retrospective review of all myxoid liposarcomas diagnosed at our hospital from January 2000 to September 2014 was conducted. Clinical characteristics, localization, diagnosis, treatment, recurrence and mortality is described.
Results: Ten cases of myxoid liposarcoma were identified. Lesions were most frequently found in the retroperitoneal area. Anatomopathological diagnosis was done by means of a core needle biopsy.
Surgical treatment consisted of complete exeresis followed by adjuvant treatment with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Recurrences, reoperation due to the presence of borders, and disease relapse on the same area occurred in our series of patients.
Discussion and conclusion: liposarcomas are rare tumors which mainly affect adults. Myxoid liposar- coma represents 40% to 50% of all types of liposarcomas, mostly located in the lower extremities.
They usually present chromosomal alterations on t (12:16)(q13:p11). Two different types of myxoid liposarcoma can be distinguished, low-grade and high-grade. Histologically, they are characterized by nodular formations with a small number of cells. Mortality rate is about 12%. Conservative surgery and radiotherapy show excellent results (mostly on myxoid and well-differentiated subtypes). A strict follow-up should be established due to its high rate of relapse.
Although mesodermal tumors are radioresistant, myxoide liposarcomas are the most radiosensitive.