title: Leiomyoma of the rectum.
abstract: Rectal leiomyoma is a rare disease. In Japan, only 77 cases were reported before 1984. A study was carried out by compiling information from clinical cases together with two recent cases of rectal leiomyoma. The patients were mainly in their 50s to 60s with a mean age of 53.6 years. The sex ratio of males to females, was 1.5:1. The most common main complaints were anal bleeding and melena and subsequently cylindrical shaped stool or constipation, attributable to rectal stenosis. The tumors were located at 8 cm or less from the anal verge in 87% of the case. Surgery is considered the best method of treatment. Five patients noted a recurrence and three underwent extirpation as their initial operation. Although it is frequently difficult to establish whether leiomyoma is benign or malignant, small lesions (less than 2 cm in diameter) are best treated by local excision.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D012007:Rectum