The fibrosis in my retroperitoneal cavity can’t be seen

I really didn’t know what to make of this issue at diagnosis, although I did know the aorta was pretty important!  Fortunately, I had a surgeon who had operated on many NET patients and had seen this issue before.  After my first surgery, he described it as a “dense fibrotic retroperitoneal reaction encircling his aorta and cava (inferior vena cava (IVC))”. My surgeon was known for difficult and extreme surgery, so as part of the removal of my primary, he also spent 3 hours dissecting the retroperitoneal fibrosis surrounding these important blood vessels and managed 270-degree clearance. The remnant still shows on CT scans. Some of the removed tissue was tested and found to be benign, showing only florid inflammation and fibrosis (thankfully).  That said, the abstract papers above have led me to believe that my retroperitoneal fibrosis is clinically significant.  In fact, I have spent the last 3 months worrying about some of it growing into the reach of important vessels and only just been given the all-clear (for now).