title: Thoracic paravertebral leiomyosarcoma: rare but it does occur.
abstract: METHODS
  Marginal resection of a paraspinal tumor in the thoracic vertebra was performed.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To document a very rare pathology for a paraspinal tumor.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Primary leiomyosarcoma of the spine or paravertebral space is extremely rare. A case of a patient who was operated on for a mass in the spinal canal and whose pathology was reported to be leiomyosarcoma is presented.
  
  
  METHODS
  Marginal resection of the paravertebral mass was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The pathology of the tumor was reported as leiomyosarcoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Leiomyosarcomas may develop at any site where smooth muscle cells are present. However, primary leiomyosarcoma of the spine or paravertebral space is extremely rare. Leiomyosarcoma, although rare, should be kept in mind as one of the possible diagnoses when a patient with a paraspinal tumor is presented.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Duygu Yazgan
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Aksoy
authors.forename: M Kadri
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Altundag
authors.forename: Mine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Durusu
authors.forename: Huseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abali
authors.forename: Sevgen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Onder
authors.forename: Alev
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Turker
authors.forename: M Cemalettin
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Aksoy
authors.forename: Selçuk
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Palaoglu
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000032:analysis; D000368:Aged; D003893:Desmin / Q000032:analysis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007890:Leiomyosarcoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000737:chemistry; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D003893:Desmin