title: Benign abdominal and pulmonary metastasizing leiomyoma of the uterus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Benign metastasizing leiomyoma (BML) is a rare disease in which the lung is described to be the most afflicted extrauterine organ.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report of a 42-year-old African woman with a BML in the abdomen and lung who had undergone a hysterectomy for uterine leiomyoma 10 years ago. She was admitted to our hospital for investigation of a huge tumor mass in the pelvis consisting of multiple nodules in the abdomen and left lung. Assuming an advanced intraperitoneal malignancy was present, a 'palliative' limited tumor debulking and due to a tumor compressing the sigmoid a Hartmann's procedure was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The histopathologic examination showed a leiomyoma positive for estrogen receptor. Treatment was started with GnRH analoga. In the presence of a stable disease after 12 months, the patient underwent a re-laparotomy with a reanastomosis of the colon. Treatment was continued with GnRH analoga and the residual nodules have not increased in size during 36 months of follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The review of the literature supports the concept that the primary tumor of BML is located in the uterus and that leiomyomas in the uterus can metastasize leading via hematogenous spread to BML. However, the origin of the tumor remains controversial.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery and Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital of Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Str. 7, Kiel 24105, Germany. janegberts@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Jan-Hendrik
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Egberts
authors.forename: Clemens
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schafmayer
authors.forename: Dirk O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Bauerschlag
authors.forename: Ute
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Jänig
authors.forename: Juergen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tepel
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000473:pathology*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D011859:Radiography; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D014599:Uterus / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery