Gastrointestinal leiomyosarcomas: experience of 14 cases and review of published reports.

OBJECTIVE

To present our experience of leiomyosarcoma of the gastrointestinal tract during a 10 year period and review similar publications.

DESIGN

Retrospective study.

SETTING

Teaching hospital, Greece.

SUBJECTS

14 patients who were treated for leiomyosarcoma between 1983 and 1993.

INTERVENTIONS

Tumours were diagnosed by endoscopy, computed tomography, and contrast examination. All patients were treated by resection and no adjuvant treatment was given.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Morbidity, mortality, and outcome.

RESULTS

The diagnosis was made preoperatively in 10/14 patients: 4 of the tumours were locally advanced at the time of laparotomy, and two had liver metastases. Resection was potentially curative (all macroscopic tumour removed) in 12 patients (86%). Three patients died of recurrent disease at 5, 8 and 63 months, respectively. The mean follow up in the 11 survivors was 44 months (range 24-83).

CONCLUSION

Resection is the treatment of choice for these tumours. A multicentre trial would be required to assess the effect of adjuvant chemotherapy.