What is Retroperitoneal Liposarcoma?
Retroperitoneal liposarcoma is a rare type of cancer that arises from malignant changes in fat cells lying behind the abdominal cavity called the retroperitoneum. The patient usually comes with an advance stage of the disease and shows a poor prognosis (chances of recovery). Liposarcoma can develop anywhere in the body but it usually develop in abdomen, arms and legs.Disease Causes
There is no well-known cause, however, some hereditary and genetic mutations (changes in the DNA sequence) are considered responsible for the development of retroperitoneal liposarcoma. It is more common in males than females. It usually affects the persons between the ages of 50-65 years.Signs and Symptoms
The patient may suffer from the following signs and symptoms. These are- Pain in the abdomen
- Lump or mass in the abdomen
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Bloating in abdomen
- Unintentional weight loss
- Constant Fatigue
- Constant fever
Diagnosis
The following diagnostic tests and procedures can be used to make a diagnosis. These are;- Imaging techniques like ultrasound of the abdomen, CT-scan, MRI, and PET scan to see the site, size, and extent of the tumor.
- Tumor biopsy (tumor biopsy to remove a small sample of tissue for histopathological examination)
- USG guided fine needle aspiration cytology