Novel hormone treatment of benign metastasizing leiomyoma: an analysis of five cases and literature review

Benign Metastasizing Leiomyomas to the Lungs: An Institutional Case Series and a Review of the Recent Literature

BACKGROUND

Benign metastasizing leiomyomas (BMLs) represent the extrauterine spread of a benign uterine process. Pulmonary BMLs are the most common example of distant spread of uterine leiomyomas and are usually found incidentally in premenopausal women. The rarity of BMLs accounts for the limited literature that currently exists regarding their underlying pathophysiology, disease course, and management.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was performed of all BML cases diagnosed and managed at Brigham and Women's Hospital during a 22-year period. The demographic and clinical characteristics of these patients were compared with a PubMed-derived cohort of BML cases reported since 2006.

RESULTS

Benign metastasizing leiomyoma tumors were identified in 10 Brigham and Women's Hospital patients, whereas 57 cases were reported in the literature. The average age at diagnosis was 54.1 and 46.7 years, respectively. Mean interval time from a pertinent gynecologic procedure to BML diagnosis was 23 years at Brigham and Women's Hospital. All patients demonstrated positivity for actin, desmin, and estrogen/progesterone receptors, confirming the diagnosis of uterine leiomyomas. Management primarily consisted of diagnostic resection with subsequent observation with or without hormonal suppression for residual pulmonary nodules. Progression of residual BMLs was noticed in 30% and 8.3% of Brigham and Women's Hospital and literature patients, respectively, when follow-up was reported. One patient in our series required further surgical management.

CONCLUSIONS

Benign metastasizing leiomyomas are a rare cause of pulmonary nodules. They likely represent a clonal spread of uterine leiomyomas to the lungs. Management includes pathologic diagnosis with long-term surveillance with or without hormonal manipulation.

An unusual cause of pulmonary nodules in the emergency department

We report a 51-year-old woman who presented to the emergency department with left-sided pleuritic chest pain 2 weeks after subtotal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy for a leiomyomatous uterus. Computed tomography scan of the chest revealed bilateral pulmonary nodules. Biopsy showed cytologically bland spindle cells without overt malignant features. Immunohistochemistry confirmed smooth muscle phenotype, in keeping with a clinicopathologic diagnosis of benign metastasizing leiomyoma (BML). BML does not frequently come to the attention of the emergency physician because it is rare and usually asymptomatic. When symptomatic, its clinical presentation depends on the site(s) of metastasis, number, and size of the smooth muscle tumors. Emergent presentations of BML are reviewed.

Leiomyomas beyond the uterus; benign metastasizing leiomyomatosis with paraaortic metastasizing endometriosis and intravenous leiomyomatosis: a case series and review of the literature

Uterine leiomyomas affect 20-30 % of women 35 years and older. Extrauterine leiomyomas are rare and present a greater diagnostic challenge. Those unusual growth patterns occur more often in women of reproductive age with a history of hysterectomy or surgery for uterine leiomyomas. They have been reported in the literature in case reports and small case series and include benign metastasizing leiomyoma (BML), disseminated peritoneal leiomyomatosis, intravenous leiomyomatosis (IVL), parasitic leiomyomas, and retroperitoneal growth. In this case series we present a case of BML with a first report of concomitant endometriosis metastasis to paraaortic lymphnodes, and a case of IVL. The findings and surgical management of those cases, as well as a review of the literature pertinent to those entities, are also presented.

Pulmonary benign metastasizing leiomyoma: a case report and literature review

Benign metastasizing leiomyoma (BML) is a rare condition that occurs in all age groups and that is particularly prevalent among women of late childbearing age. All patients have a history of uterine leiomyoma and/or myomectomy, often associated with distant metastases from the uterus, which commonly occurs in the lung. We report the case of a 32-year-old young woman suffering from chest stuffiness, labored respiration and weakness after a myomectomy performed one month earlier. The chest CT showed a diffuse miliary shadow in both sides of her lungs, but serum tumor markers such as CA125, CA199, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), neuron specific enolase (NSE), and CYFRA21-1 were normal. The patient underwent a lung biopsy by thoracoscopic surgery after four weeks of anti-TB treatment; there were no significant changes in the chest CT. H&E staining showed that the tumor cells had characteristics of smooth muscle cell differentiation. Immunohistochemical staining showed a low tumor cell proliferation index, which indicated that the likelihood of a malignancy was not high. There was no expression of CD10, indicating a diagnosis of pulmonary benign metastasizing leiomyoma (PBML). Smooth muscle actin (SMA) and desmin as specific markers of smooth muscle and the estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) were all strongly positive, which is characteristic of PBML. The patient was given the anti-estrogen tamoxifen for 3 months. With no radiological evidence of disease development and further distant metastasis, the patient will continue to be followed.

Sex-specific lung diseases: effect of oestrogen on cultured cells and in animal models

Sex prevalence in lung disease suggests that sex-specific hormones may contribute to the pathogenesis and/or progression of at least some lung diseases, such as lung adenocarcinoma, lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) and benign metastasising leiomyoma (BML). Oestrogen is an important hormone in normal lung development and in the pathogenesis of female predominant pulmonary diseases. In vivo and in vitro studies have facilitated our understanding of disease pathogenesis and discovery of potential therapeutic targets. Oestrogen promoted disease progression in cell and animal models of lung adenocarcinoma, LAM and BML. Specifically, oestrogen enhanced tumour growth and metastasis in animal models of these diseases. Furthermore, 17β-estradiol (E2), the most abundant form of oestrogen in humans, increased the size and proliferation of cultured cells of lung adenocarcinoma and LAM. Coupled with the known mechanisms of oestrogen metabolism and signalling, these model systems may provide insights into the diverse effects of oestrogen and other hormones on lung diseases. Anti-oestrogen treatments that target key events of oestrogen synthesis or signalling, such as aromatase activity, oestrogen receptors and signalling pathways, may offer additional opportunities for clinical trials.

Benign metastatic leiomyoma presenting as a hemothorax

Uterine leiomyomas have been reported to metastasize to various organs including the lungs, skeletal muscles, bone marrow, peritoneum, and heart. They may present with symptoms related to the metastases several years after hysterectomy. These tumors regress after menopause, and it is rare to detect active tumors in postmenopausal women. Despite their ability to metastasize, they are considered to be benign due to the lack of anaplasia. Pulmonary benign metastasizing leiomyoma is usually detected in the form of pulmonary nodules incidentally on imaging. Tissue biopsy of these nodules is required to identify them as benign metastasizing leiomyomas. Immunohistochemical analysis and molecular profiling may further help detect any malignant transformation in it. Untreated pulmonary benign metastasizing leiomyoma may result in the formation of cystic structures, destruction of lung parenchyma, and hemothorax and may cause respiratory failure. Surgical resection and hormonal therapy help prevent progression of this disease and provide an avenue for a cure.