Leiomyosarcoma of the renal vein: a case report

Leiomyosarcoma of the renal vein: analysis of outcome and prognostic factors in the world case series of 67 patients

BACKGROUND

Leiomyosarcoma is a rare malignant mesenchymal tumour. Some cases of leiomyosarcoma of the renal vein (LRV) have been reported in the literature, but no analysis of data and search for prognostic factors have been done so far. The aim of this review was to describe the LRV, to analyse overall survival (OS), local recurrence free survival (LRFS) and distant metastases free survival (DMFS) in LRV world case series and to identify significant predictors of OS, LRFS and DMFS.

METHODS

Cases from the literature based on PubMed search and a case from our institution were included.

RESULTS

Sixty-seven patients with a mean age of 56.6 years were identified; 76.1% were women. Mean tumour size was 8.9 cm; in 68.7% located on the left side. Tumour thrombus extended into the inferior vena cava lumen in 13.4%. All patients but one underwent surgery (98.5%). After a median follow up of 24 months, the OS was 79.5%. LRFS was 83.5% after a median follow up of 21.5 months and DMFS was 76.1% after a median follow up of 22 months. Factors predictive of OS in univariate analysis were surgical margins, while factors predictive of LRFS were inferior vena cava luminal extension and grade. No factors predictive of DMFS were identified. In multivariate analysis none of the factors were predictive of OS, LRFS and DMFS.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the literature review and presented case some conclusions can be made. LRV is usually located in the hilum of the kidney. It should be considered in differential diagnosis of renal and retroperitoneal masses, particularly in women over the age 40, on the left side and in the absence of haematuria. Core needle biopsy should be performed. Patients should be managed by sarcoma multidisciplinary team. LRV should be surgically removed, with negative margins.

Non-vena cava venous leiomyosarcomas: a review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Leiomyosarcoma (LMS) is a rare malignant tumor of smooth muscle origin that generally stems from soft tissues and uterine tissue. However, a small percentage of this sarcoma subset may originate from the smooth muscle of vessel walls, most of which are of venous origin. Although the vena cava (VC) serves as the most likely source for these tumors and has been well described in the literature, there is limited information focused on non-VC LMS derived from large veins. The focus of this study was to consolidate the reports and previously published data of all non-VC LMS of venous origin to better characterize and describe this disease process.

METHODS

We reviewed information derived from 143 previously published cases.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

It was determined that women aged 60-69 years were most commonly diagnosed with this particular type of tumor, with the most common tumor site being the renal vein. Metastasis was present in 12% of this population at the time of diagnosis, and 32% of patients were alive 4 years later.

Leiomyosarcoma of the renal vein: case report and review of the literature

Leiomyosarcomas of vascular origin is a rare and aggressive pathology, its presentation on the renal vein is infrequent, of which 29 cases have been reported world-wide. We describe a case of a 76 year-old woman, who presented with intermittent left flank pain, irradiated to the lumbar region of 6 months duration. A left radical nephrectomy with en-bloc resection of a para-aortic tumor was performed. Microscopic examination of the specimen reported a moderately differentiated leiomyosarcoma, originated in the wall of the renal vein. The patient received adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The tumor recurred in the liver. After 24 months from the primary surgery, the patient is alive with evidence of multiple metastatic spread to the liver. She is now under palliative care.

Leiomyosarcoma of the renal vein

The preoperative diagnosis for primary leiomyosarcoma of the renal vein, an extremely rare tumor, is difficult. The tumor predominantly occurs in women and on the left side. Its natural history is toward distant metastases and a poor 5-year survival rate. Nephrectomy and en-bloc surgical resection remain the mainstay of therapy. We present three such cases and review the world literature.

Leiomyosarcoma of the ovarian vein: an unusual cause of severe abdominal and flank pain

Leiomyosarcoma arising from the ovarian vein is extremely rare: only one case was found in the literature. We report a case in a sixty-one-year-old woman who had unexplained attacks of pain in her left lower abdomen and flank for two years.