[Primary liposarcoma of the stomach wall--a rare mesenchymal tumor].

INTRODUCTION

Primary liposarcoma of the stomach wall is rare. Only eight cases have been described so far.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

Here we report the ninth case, occurring in a 74-year-old woman who presented with weight loss and a therapy-resistant ulcer of the stomach wall.

RESULTS

Pre- and perioperative findings suggested a benign lipoma of the stomach wall. The patient was treated with subtotal gastrectomy. On microscopic examination the tumor showed features of a benign lipoma but for a distinctive capillary net. Immunohistochemically the S-100 reaction was positive. Less than 1% of Ki67-positive cells could be found, thus suggesting a highly differentiated primary liposarcoma of the stomach wall.

CONCLUSION

In situations where the benign or malignant nature of a submucosal lesion cannot be diagnosed with certainty a mesenchymal tumor of the stomach wall has to be included in the differential diagnosis. Here the indication for complete surgical excision and histological workup has to be set widely.