title: Perineal and perirectal sarcomas: report of two cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Perineal sarcomas are rare tumors that are typically of an extensive nature by the time of diagnosis. In this article, two case reports are followed by a brief review of different types of sarcomas that may occur in the perineal and perirectal region.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study consists of two cases that are representative of the many types of perineal/perirectal sarcomas.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Perineal and perirectal sarcomas are generally of poor prognosis mainly because of delayed diagnosis. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging can be extremely useful to help assess these tumors. It is well known that the most important criterion for diagnosing leiomyosarcomas appears to be the presence of mitotic activity. Anorectal stromal tumors having five or more mitoses per 50 high powered fields are considered to be malignant. The mainstay of treatment is surgical excision with wide margins. Currently, chemotherapeutic and radiotherapy trials are under way.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Good Samaritan Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Kessler
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Kerlakian
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Welling
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007890:Leiomyosarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D010502:Perineum; D011379:Prognosis; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D018233:Rhabdomyosarcoma, Embryonal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery