title: A clinicopathologic study of uterine smooth muscle tumours of uncertain malignant potential (STUMP).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The clinical management of Smooth Muscle Tumours of Uncertain Malignant Potential (STUMPs) remains controversial because little is known about the natural history of these tumours and pathological classifications do not correlate well with clinical outcomes and therefore cannot direct management. The objective of this study was to review a single institution's experience with STUMP and recommend a rational clinical approach to the management of patients with this histological diagnosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic review of all diagnoses of STUMP and leiomyosarcoma from the gynaecologic oncology and pathology databases between January 1970 and February 2006.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 18 diagnoses of STUMP and 72 diagnoses of Ieiomyosarcoma were made during the study period. None of these 72 cases of leiomyosarcoma had a prior diagnosis of STUMP. There were no recurrences in the 18 cases of STUMP with all 18 cases being registered as disease-free after 5 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We recommend that patients with a diagnosis of STUMP be expectantly managed given the low likelihood of leiomyosarcomatous transformation, the lack of any evidence that adjuvant treatments result in better long-term outcomes and that recurrences are amenable to surgical resection with good outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, National University Health System, Singapore. drjoeng@nus.edu.sg
authors.forename: Joseph S Y
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Sung Hock
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Chew
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Low
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018235:Smooth Muscle Tumor / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D014599:Uterus / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery