Definition
Liposarcoma is a malignant tumor of adipose tissue. This neoplasm is due to the proliferation of atypical fat cells and can develop in any part of the body, even if the lower limbs and retroperitoneal tissues are more frequently affected.
Liposarcomas generally occur in adults, usually between 50 and 60 years of age.
Most common symptoms and signs *
- Abdominal pain
- Groin pain
- Gastrointestinal hemorrhage
- Tingling in the legs
- Abdominal mass
- Mass or swelling in the groin
- Nodule
- Paresthesia
- Urinary retention
- Constipation
Further indications
Liposarcomas appear as solid and elastic swellings, perceptible to the touch.
In the early stages, the presence of these nodular lesions can be asymptomatic or cause utterly non-specific manifestations, which vary according to the area affected. Pain is usually perceived when the neoplastic mass increases in volume.
During the course of liposarcoma, damage is possible from a neurological point of view (changes in sensitivity, tingling, etc.) and bleeding from the digestive tract.
The neoplastic mass can reach large dimensions, infiltrating and incorporating the neighboring structures. If the tumor is extended and compresses the abdominal organs, for example, symptoms of urinary or intestinal obstruction may arise. Furthermore, liposarcoma can metastasize via the blood.
Swelling in the left leg caused by an underlying liposarcoma
The diagnosis is formulated by ultrasound and magnetic resonance; these investigations allow us to identify the tumor mass and evaluate the involvement of neighboring tissues. Confirmation is based on the histological examination of the suspect tissue following biopsy sampling. Differential diagnoses include benign lipomas and other types of sarcoma, inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor and Castleman's disease.
The treatment involves surgical excision of the tumor, sometimes associated with adjuvant chemotherapy. Currently, trials are underway to evaluate new therapies for unresectable liposarcoma in an advanced stage. The prognosis depends on the location of the tumor: when liposarcoma is located in the retroperitoneum recurrences are possible 5 years after the removal of the neoplastic mass, while a resectable lesion based in the limbs correlates to a substantial absence of mortality.
