The mainstay of treatment for primary retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS) is surgery. However, whether multiple visceral resection (MVR) affects patients’ quality of life compared with simple tumor resection has not been reported. Patients with primary RPS who underwent radical resection between 2009 and 2021 were included. Patients who were alive at the last follow-up were asked to complete the European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30). The primary endpoint of the study was the global health (GH) score. A total of 161 patients were included, including 77 in the MVR group and 84 in the non-MVR group. When comparing EORTC scores on functional domains and symptom scales between MVR and non-MVR groups, only constipation scores differed (p = 0.011). Comparing GH scores within 6 months after surgery between the two groups, GH was better in non-MVR patients (58.3 vs. 76.4, p = 0.082). However, patients with longer postoperative intervals in the MVR group had higher scores (p < 0.001), and patients with postoperative intervals of more than one year scored similar to those in the non-MVR group (64.7 vs. 59.2, p = 0.522). As the postoperative interval increased, there was an improvement in all indicators in MVR patients, while there was no significant improvement in non-MVR patients. Aggressive surgical approaches impair quality of life within 6 months postoperatively, but the long-term quality of life is similar to that of patients undergoing simple tumor resection. This should be factored into RPS treatment decisions.
Keywords: multiple visceral resection; quality of life; retroperitoneal sarcoma.