Liposarcoma Follow-up

  • Author: Robert A Schwartz, MD, MPH; Chief Editor: Dirk M Elston, MD   more...
 
Updated: Apr 20, 2012
 

Prognosis

The prognosis is affected by the type of liposarcoma present. In general, survival for extremity tumors is favorable.[21]

The well-differentiated type and most myxoid types have favorable prognoses, with 100% and 88% 5-year survival rates, respectively.[22] However, these tumors are poorly circumscribed and locally recur after incomplete excision. Although they rarely metastasize, repeated local recurrences may cause the tumor to evolve into a higher grade of sarcoma or to dedifferentiate, in which case metastasis is possible.

The form that a dermatologist is most likely to examine at biopsy is 1 of the 3 subtypes of a well-differentiated liposarcoma, that is, the lipomalike liposarcoma or atypical lipoma; the other 2, inflammatory and sclerosing, are less likely. The clinical outcome of this subtype is best predicted by the anatomical location. In the subcutis, lipomalike liposarcomas are often cured with local excision. Lipomalike liposarcomas rarely recur, and they do not metastasize. Use of the term atypical lipomatous tumor, a less serious designation for atypical lipoma, has been suggested.

Round-cell and poorly differentiated types have a poor prognosis. Each has a 5-year survival rate of about 50% because they recur locally and tend to metastasize quickly and widely. The lungs are particularly affected.

Despite high-grade morphology, cutaneous liposarcomas have a favorable clinical prognosis.

For soft tissue sarcoma involving the popliteal fossa, despite a high rate of microscopically positive margins, the local recurrence rate reported is only 7%.[23]

Cutaneous and subcutaneous pleomorphic liposarcomas have a more favorable outcome compared with their deep-seated counterparts, a fact attributable to their small size and superficial location.[7]

 
Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Robert A Schwartz, MD, MPH  Professor and Head, Dermatology, Professor of Pathology, Pediatrics, Medicine, and Preventive Medicine and Community Health, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-New Jersey Medical School

Robert A Schwartz, MD, MPH is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American College of Physicians, and Sigma Xi

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Matthew J Trovato, MD  Fellow, Division of Plastic Surgery, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Santiago A Centurion, MD  Staff Physician, Department of Dermatology, New Jersey Medical School, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey

Santiago A Centurion, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American Medical Association, and Sigma Xi

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Jacek C Szepietowski, MD, PhD  Professor, Vice-Head, Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Wroclaw Medical University; Director of the Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland

Disclosure: Stiefel GSK Company Salary Employment; Orfagen Consulting fee Consulting; Maruho Consulting fee Consulting; Astellas Consulting fee Consulting; Abbott Consulting fee Consulting; Leo Pharma Consulting fee Consulting

David F Butler, MD  Professor of Dermatology, Texas A&M University College of Medicine; Chair, Department of Dermatology, Director, Dermatology Residency Training Program, Scott and White Clinic, Northside Clinic

David F Butler, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American Medical Association, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, American Society for MOHS Surgery, Association of Military Dermatologists, and Phi Beta Kappa

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Jeffrey P Callen, MD  Professor of Medicine (Dermatology), Chief, Division of Dermatology, University of Louisville School of Medicine

Jeffrey P Callen, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American College of Physicians, and American College of Rheumatology

Disclosure: Amgen Honoraria Consulting; Celgene Honoraria Safety Monitoring Committee

Catherine M Quirk, MD  Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania

Catherine M Quirk, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha and American Academy of Dermatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Dirk M Elston, MD  Director, Ackerman Academy of Dermatopathology, New York

Dirk M Elston, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

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