title: Uterine myxoid leiomyosarcoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Uterine myxoid leiomyosarcoma is rare, has a poor prognosis, and must be distinguished from a uterine myoma with myxomatous change.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 56-year-old woman with a history of epigastric pain and generalized abdominal swelling had a peritoneal cavity filled with tumor that originated from the posterior uterine wall. Chemotherapy and two operations for recurrence could not prevent fatal metastases to the vascular system. Histopathology showed a typical myxoid leiomyosarcoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the patient's prognosis was poor, no mitoses were observed, and the nuclear abnormalities were not sufficient to diagnose the tumor as malignant at the initial surgery. Whenever a uterine myoma with myxomatous change is found, the patient should be monitored carefully.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kasahara
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishida
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iijima
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaneko
mesh_terms: D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007890:Leiomyosarcoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery