A 42-year-old male was referred to our hospital with a complaint of right lumbar
pain in September 1999. Abdominal computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a large retroperitoneal
tumor adjacent to the aorta and the renal vessels. We judged that it was inoperable. Then we performed percutaneous needle biopsy of the
tumor. Histopathological examination showed a
malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH). Two cycles of systemic
chemotherapy with
pirarubicin, vincritine and
cyclophosphamide were ineffective, then we tried concurrent
cisplatin and
radiation therapy. Chemoradiation
therapy showed a marked decrease in the size of the
tumor, and the patient also recovered from right lumbar
pain without serious side effects. After chemoradiation
therapy, we performed tumorectomy. However, we could not curatively resect the
residual tumor. He suffered from repeated recurrence and
metastases of MFH afterwards. We performed repeatedly concurrent
cisplatin and
radiation therapy for the recurrent and metastatic
tumor sites, and chemoradiation
therapy led to regression of the
tumors every time. However he died from
liver dysfunction due to multiple liver
metastases in May 2005. Concurrent
cisplatin and
radiation therapy might be an effective treatment for unresectable MFH.