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:: Leiomyosarcoma (LMS) Defined ::

Leiomyosarcoma (Gr. Leio- =smooth, myo- = muscle, sarcoma = fleshy growth) is a type of sarcoma which is a neoplasm of smooth muscle. (When a uterine neoplasm is benign, it is a leiomyoma.) Smooth muscle cells make up the involuntary muscles, which are found in most parts of the body: in uterus, stomach and intestines, walls of all blood vessels, and skin. It is therefore possible for leiomyosarcomas to appear at any site in the body. It is however most commonly found in the stomach, small intestine and retroperitoneum.

Leiomyosarcoma is a very rare cancer. It makes up 5-10% of soft tissue sarcomas, which are in themselves rare cancers.

:: About Leiomyosarcoma ::

Leiomyosarcoma is a form of cancer that affects the smooth muscle of the body. It spreads through the blood stream and can affect the lungs, liver, blood vessels, or any other soft tissue in the body.

LMS is a type of sarcoma which is a neoplasm of smooth muscle. Smooth muscle cells make up the involuntary muscles, which are found in most parts of the body: in the uterus, stomach and intestines, walls of all blood vessels, and skin.

Leiomyosarcoma is a very rare cancer. It makes up 7% of soft tissue sarcomas; in all, LMS affects 4 out of 1,000,000 people.

Presently there is no cure. Remission can be attained, but this rare cancer can reappear at any time. Because of its rarity, few doctors know how to treat it and it attracts very little research.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Leiomyosarcoma of the Adrenal vein: a novel approach to surgical resection

Another great study is also listed here.

Here is an excerpt:
This is a 64-year old woman who presented with a 13 × 6.5 × 6.6 cm heterogeneous mass arising in the region of the right adrenal gland and extending into the inferior vena cava (IVC) and the right atrium. Biochemical evaluation excluded a functional tumor of the adrenal gland, and multiple tumor markers were negative. We present the novel use of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) in the resection of an adrenal vein leiomyosarcoma extending into the right atrium. The patient remains free of disease ten months after surgery. DHCA afforded a bloodless operative field for optimal resection of disease from within the IVC.

Leiomyosarcoma is a soft-tissue tumor that differentiates from smooth muscle. Primary leiomyosarcomas of vascular origin are relatively rare and frequently arise within the IVC [1-3]. Rarely, leiomyosarcomas may arise from the renal or adrenal vein. We report the case of a leiomyosarcoma of the adrenal vein and a novel approach to surgical resection involving the use of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA).

(Figure 1).

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Figure 1. Sagittal view of abdominal MRI. Tumor (arrow) extends from the superior pole of the right kidney to the right atrium.

A leiomyosarcoma of the adrenal vein was first reported in 1981, in a 50-year old patient with a 12 cm leiomyosarcoma arising from the left adrenal vein [4]. Since that time, there have been only eight other reported cases. We report a ninth case, using the novel approach of surgical resection under DHCA

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