Gastrointestinal leiomyosarcomas: experience of 14 cases and review of published reports.
OBJECTIVE
To present our experience of leiomyosarcoma of the gastrointestinal tract during a 10 year period and review similar publications.


METHODS
Retrospective study.


METHODS
Teaching hospital, Greece.


METHODS
14 patients who were treated for leiomyosarcoma between 1983 and 1993.


METHODS
Tumours were diagnosed by endoscopy, computed tomography, and contrast examination. All patients were treated by resection and no adjuvant treatment was given.


METHODS
Morbidity, mortality, and outcome.


RESULTS
The diagnosis was made preoperatively in 10/14 patients: 4 of the tumours were locally advanced at the time of laparotomy, and two had liver metastases. Resection was potentially curative (all macroscopic tumour removed) in 12 patients (86%). Three patients died of recurrent disease at 5, 8 and 63 months, respectively. The mean follow up in the 11 survivors was 44 months (range 24-83).


CONCLUSIONS
Resection is the treatment of choice for these tumours. A multicentre trial would be required to assess the effect of adjuvant chemotherapy.
Papagrigoriadis
S
S
Second Department of Surgery, General Hospital of Athens, Holargos, Greece.
Papadopoulou
P
P
Kolias
V
V
Panagiotidis
H
H
Loizou
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007890:Leiomyosarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies