Myxoid Liposarcoma

What is myxoid liposarcoma?

Myxoid liposarcoma is a subtype of liposarcoma, a group of very rare cancers that begin in fat cells. You can have this condition for several years before noticing symptoms, such as a visible lump under the skin on your legs or arms. Myxoid liposarcoma typically affects people ages 20 to 40. Healthcare providers treat the condition with surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy.

Is myxoid liposarcoma an aggressive cancer?

Not usually. Most myxoid liposarcoma tumors grow very slowly. That said, some myxoid liposarcoma tumors combine myxoid liposarcoma cells and round cells. Healthcare providers may use the term myxoid/round cell liposarcoma (MRCLS).

Round cells get their name from the way the cells appear when medical pathologists look at them under a microscope. Myxoid/round cell liposarcoma tumors are more likely to metastasize or spread from your arms and legs to nearby soft tissue, including muscle and skin. You can also have this liposarcoma type in your bones, such as your pelvic bones or spine, or organs, such as your heart, lungs or esophagus.

Are myxoid liposarcomas common?

Myxoid liposarcomas are extremely rare. They account for 15% to 30% of all liposarcoma diagnoses. According to National Cancer Institute estimates, healthcare providers diagnose about 2,000 people in the U.S. with liposarcoma each year.

What are myxoid liposarcoma symptoms?

You can have myxoid liposarcoma without noticing any changes in your body. Most people don’t notice changes until myxoid liposarcoma tumors grow large enough to create symptoms. Common symptoms include:

• A noticeable lump under your skin.
• Pain.
• Tiredness (fatigue).
• Nausea.
• Unintended or unexplained weight loss.

What causes myxoid liposarcoma?

Medical researchers aren’t sure what causes myxoid liposarcoma. They do know most people with this condition carry a genetic mutation that turns normal genes into oncogenes. Oncogenes may turn normal cells into cancerous cells that multiply and develop into tumors.

What are risk factors for myxoid liposarcoma?

While researchers don’t know exactly what causes myxoid liposarcoma, studies show that people who have radiation therapy for cancer have an increased risk of developing any kind of sarcoma, including myxoid sarcoma.

How is myxoid liposarcoma diagnosed?

Providers begin their diagnosis by doing a physical examination and asking about symptoms. Tests they may use include:

• Computed tomography (CT) scan: CT scans help providers locate tumors — including how close they are to major organs — and evaluate tumor size.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): MRI scans help providers check on nearby nerves, blood vessels and muscles that a liposarcoma may affect.
• Biopsy: Providers take tumor tissue samples so medical pathologists can examine tumor cells under a microscope.
• Molecular and genetic testing: These tests confirm whether a tumor is a myxoid liposarcoma.

How do healthcare providers treat myxoid liposarcoma?

Your provider may do one or a combination of the following treatments:

• Surgery: A surgeon removes the tumor and surrounding healthy tissue, including microscopic tumor cells.
• Radiation therapy: Providers often use radiation therapy to shrink a myxoid liposarcoma before doing surgery to remove the tumor. You may also have this treatment after surgery to reduce the risk of cancer coming back (recurring).
• Chemotherapy: Healthcare providers may use chemotherapy to treat tumors that surgery can’t remove or that have spread.

What are treatment side effects?

Side effects include recovering from surgery, as well as side effects from chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

What are treatment complications?

Healthcare providers typically treat myxoid liposarcoma with surgery to remove the tumor and nearby healthy tissue. Any type of surgery may have complications. Your surgeon will discuss your specific situation, but some common surgery complications may include:

• Reaction to general anesthesia.
• Blood loss.
• Surgical wounds that don’t heal.
• Infection.
• Damage to organs or tissues.
• Pain that doesn’t respond to typical medication.

Can I prevent myxoid liposarcoma?

Unfortunately, no. Most people develop myxoid liposarcoma because they had radiation therapy for other types of cancer, including lymphoma, breast cancer or prostate cancer. Radiation therapy increases your risk, but it’s essential treatment for other cancers.

Can myxoid liposarcoma be cured?

It can be placed in remission, meaning treatment eliminates all signs and symptoms of myxoid liposarcoma. But myxoid liposarcoma may come back.

What is the prognosis for myxoid liposarcoma?

Your prognosis or expected outcome depends on several factors, such as:

• The tumor location.
• How much of the tumor was removed during surgery.
• Whether the tumor has spread.

In general, people who received treatment before myxoid liposarcoma tumors could spread have a better prognosis than people who have metastatic tumors (tumors that have spread). Your healthcare provider is your best resource for information about what you may expect, given your situation.

What is the survival rate for myxoid liposarcoma?

Overall, 92% of people with myxoid liposarcoma were alive five years after diagnosis. After 12 years, that survival rate drops to 55%.

It’s important to remember survival rates are estimates. Experts develop survival rate estimates by reviewing the experiences of other people with the same condition. What’s true for those people may not be true for you. Like a prognosis, your provider is the best resource for understanding how long you may live.

How can I take care of myself after treatment for myxoid liposarcoma?

Myxoid liposarcoma may come back as new tumors where cancer first started. You may have a new myxoid liposarcoma tumor in a different area of your body. Your healthcare provider will monitor your overall health for signs of new tumors. That means you’ll have regular checkups. Ask your healthcare provider how often you’ll need checkups.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Myxoid liposarcoma is a slow-growing cancer that starts in your fat cells. You can have this condition for a long time before developing symptoms. Treatment often removes the tumor. But myxoid liposarcoma can come back. If you have this condition, ask your healthcare provider about the chances you’ll develop a new tumor. They’ll tell you what to expect.