Atypical lipomatous tumor/well-differentiated liposarcoma: what is it?

Liposarcoma (LPS) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma, frequently found in the thigh and retroperitoneum. LPS is commonly classified into well-differentiated LPS and dedifferentiated LPS. Histologic subtype, tumor location, and completeness of surgical resection are important prognostic indicators for LPS. Magnetic resonance imaging best characterizes extremity lesions, whereas computed tomography is most often used for intra-abdominal and retroperitoneal tumors. Surgical resection is the mainstay of treatment. Adjuvant radiation is considered for close margins. Survival for extremity tumors is favorable. However, difficulty in obtaining wide margins in the retroperitoneum predisposes to local recurrence and, ultimately, death from unresectable disease.