Fatty tumors of the retroperitoneum: Lipoma or well-differentiated liposarcoma. About a case of a giant retroperitoneal liposarcoma

The clinicopathologic results from 58 patients with well-differentiated liposarcomas are reported. Thirty-two tumors involved the extremities, 20 the retroperitoneum, 4 the scrotum, 1 the abdominal wall, and 1 the cheek. Most tumors were large (mean, 22.6 cm). There were 31 (53%) lipoma-like, 23 (40%) sclerosing, and 4 (7%) primary dedifferentiated tumors. Six tumors underwent dedifferentiation after recurrence. The average follow-up period was 9.3 years. Thirty-seven patients (64%) were alive with no evidence of disease; 7 (12%) were alive with disease; 8 (14%) died of disease; and 6 (10%) died of other causes. Dedifferentiation did not indicate imminent death; 5 of the 10 patients were alive with no evidence of disease. Three dedifferentiated tumors subsequently recurred as pure well-differentiated liposarcomas. Patients with extremity tumors had a significantly better prognosis than those with retroperitoneal or scrotal tumors (P = .006). Extremity tumors treated by wide local excision recurred in only 11% of cases, whereas 60% of those treated by marginal or simple excision recurred.

To discriminate lipomas from atypical lipomatous tumor/well-differentiated liposarcoma (ALT/WDL) we perform fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for MDM2 amplification in several problematic situations: "lipomas" >10 cm, lesions with equivocal atypia, recurrent "lipomas," all retroperitoneal/pelvic/abdominal "lipomas", and in cases not fitting the above criteria but having worrisome clinical or radiologic features. To ascertain the validity of these criteria, we have reviewed our experience with 301 consecutive differentiated lipomatous tumors in which the diagnosis of ALT could not be established on the basis of histologic sections and in which FISH was performed on the basis of the above criteria. The final diagnosis was based on MDM2 amplification status. Given the nature of this study to evaluate difficult lesions, most cases included (74%) were received in consultation. This enhanced our study series for borderline cases, and the data presented may not be generalizable to adipocytic tumors seen outside a subspecialty setting. Of 301 cases, 108 proved to be ALT/WDL (36%). The most common test indication was size >10 cm (n=187), followed by equivocal atypia (n=145), retroperitoneal/pelvic/abdominal location (n=86), recurrence (n=33), and clinical concern (n=12). Of the tumors >10 cm, 68 (36%) proved to be ALT/WDL, whereas the remainder were interpreted as lipoma or its variants (eg, spindle cell or pleomorphic lipoma). The 2 groups did not differ statistically in size, although ALTs consistently occurred in patients above 50 years of age. Of the cases with equivocal atypia, 72 (50%) proved to be ALT/WDL. Those in the retroperitoneum/abdomen/pelvis were ALT/WDL in 30 cases (35%), and those that had recurred were ALT in 18 cases (55%). Recurrence, atypia, and having multiple indications for testing were more common in ALT than in benign lesions (P=0.02, 0.0001, 0.0012, respectively). No ALT/WDL occurred in the hands and feet, and only a single ALT/WDL was superficial (1 ALT/WDL vs. 60 lipoma/spindle cell or pleomorphic lipoma). Small ( 10 cm in patients over 50 years of age; (3) in cases with equivocal atypia; (4) in lesions of the retroperitoneum/pelvis/abdomen, and in special clinical situations as directed by treating clinicians. Testing is low yield in superficial lesions, in small extremity lesions without additional indicators for testing, in large extremity lesions without additional features in patients under the age of 50, and in lesions arising in the hands/feet. More evidence is needed regarding testing in small retroperitoneal lesions without additional features. By adopting these criteria, we could have avoided testing 74 cases, missing a single superficial ALT/WDL.

Most well-differentiated liposarcomas can be readily distinguished from lipomas on histologic grounds alone. However, occasional retroperitoneal lipomatous tumors show no cytologic atypia. To determine whether these tumors are well-differentiated liposarcomas devoid of cytologic atypia or lipomas was the major aim of this investigation. We comprehensively and prospectively studied 19 retroperitoneal adipocytic tumors devoid of cytologic atypia at the cytogenetic and molecular genetic levels. Median patient age was 56 years (range: 36 to 78 y). Median tumor size was 21 cm (range: 8 to 46 cm) and the median weight was 1127 g (range: 173 to 2440 g). All tumors were well-circumscribed and showed no cytologic atypia. Standard cytogenetic analysis demonstrated rearrangements of 12q15 in 4 (of 7) cases. None showed ring or giant marker chromosomes. Fluorescence in situ hybridization failed to identify amplification of MDM2, carboxypeptidase M(CPM), SAS, CDK4, DDIT3, or HMGA2 in all cases. HMGA2 rearrangement was observed in 8 (of 19) cases (42%) and was more common in larger tumors (P=0.046). HMGA2-LPP fusion was seen in only 1 case. All tumors were completely excised. Follow-up information was available from 10 cases (median, 6 mo; range: 1 to 58 mo). No tumor recurred or metastasized. In contrast, a control group of 20 well-differentiated liposarcomas diagnosed during the same time period (matched per year of diagnosis) showed 4 instances of local recurrence. We conclude that this group of retroperitoneal lipomatous tumors shows clinico-pathologic and genetic features more akin to lipomas than well-differentiated liposarcomas. Owing to their apparent rarity, additional studies are necessary to more fully understand their natural biology in this anatomic location.