Abstract
Benign retroperitoneal tumors (BRT) represent a rare group of heterogeneous diseases.
The literature lacks high-quality evidence about the optimal management of BRT, and
most of the information available takes the form of case reports or case series. The
aim of this review is to provide an overview of current management strategies for
adult patients with BRT.
A literature search using PubMed indexed articles was conducted and BRT were classified
into five different biological subgroups: 1) lipomatous tumors, 2) smooth muscle tumors,
3) peripheral nerve sheath tumors, 4) myofibroblastic tumors, and 5) others. Tumors
that are primarily pelvic in origin were excluded.
Despite the significant heterogeneity of the disease, several generic considerations
have emerged and can be applied to the management of BRT. Specifically, the risk of
misdiagnosing a BRT with another pathology such as retroperitoneal sarcoma is notable.
When encountered, suspected BRT should therefore be referred to a specialized sarcoma
center. Multidisciplinary tumor boards, present at these centers, have a pivotal role
in managing BRT. The decision of whether to offer surgery, nonsurgical treatment or
a “watch-and-wait” approach should be made after multidisciplinary discussion, depending
on tumor histology. Moving forward, collaborative research efforts dedicated to BRT
remain crucial in gathering evidence and knowledge to further optimize patient care.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: July 18, 2022
Accepted:
July 5,
2022
Received in revised form:
June 23,
2022
Received:
March 27,
2022
Identification
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© 2022 Elsevier Ltd, BASO ~ The Association for Cancer Surgery, and the European Society of Surgical Oncology. All rights reserved.
