title: Cotyledonoid dissecting leiomyoma of the uterus: report of two cases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cotyledonoid dissecting leiomyoma (Sternberg tumor) is a rare variant of the uterine smooth muscle tumor. Although this tumor is a benign tumor clinically and pathologically, the appearance and growth pattern is unusual, so it may be misdiagnosed as malignancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report two cases of cotyledonoid dissecting leiomyoma of the uterus that occurred in two 44- and 31-year-old women, respectively. Total hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy were performed in one of the patients, and myomectomy was done in the other one. Macroscopically, both tumors were grape-like exophytic masses resembling placental tissue. The patients were well after surgery, and one patient gave birth. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of a successful delivery after myomectomy of this tumor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To prevent aggressive surgery it is important to recognize that this tumor is a benign and unusual appearing variant of leiomyoma. A fertility-sparing surgical procedure should be considered if the patient wishes to preserve her fertility.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Department of Pathology and Oncology, Juntendo University, 2-1-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan, haru-s@juntendo.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Harumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saeki
authors.forename: Chikako
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Shigetaka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamasaki
authors.forename: Akane
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hashizume
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Izumi
authors.forename: Fujihiko
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Kazuhisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishi
authors.forename: Michio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nojima
authors.forename: Okio
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hino
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000379:methods; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D010052:Ovariectomy / Q000379:methods; D011247:Pregnancy; D018235:Smooth Muscle Tumor / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D063186:Uterine Myomectomy / Q000379:methods; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*