Intravascular leiomyomatosis and benign metastasizing leiomyoma: an unusual case

Surgical strategy for intravenous leiomyomatosis spreading from uterine to the right atrium presenting with recurrent syncope

Uterine leiomyoma invading internal iliac vein and consequently disseminating into the right atrium is an extremely rare condition, and surgical strategy is controversial. Here, we reported a specific case with successful surgical resection through one-stage total hysterectomy, bilateral oophorectomy, and the intracardiovascular lesion. This procedure would be an optimal choice for uterine leiomyoma invading inferior vena cava and spreading to right atrium.

Surgical management of intravascular leiomyomatosis

Intravascular leiomyomatosis is a rare entity defined by benign smooth uterine muscle cells that typically originate from the uterus with the potential to spread into veins possibly up to the heart. The diagnosis for patients presenting with cardiac symptoms may be difficult and imaging often interpreted as thrombus or atrial myxoma.

Intravenous leiomyomatosis with inferior vena cava or intracardiac extension and concurrent bilateral multiple pulmonary nodules: A report of 2 cases

BACKGROUND

Intravenous leiomyomatosis is a special type of uterine leiomyoma and features formation and growth of benign leiomyoma tissue within vascular wall. Benign metastatic leiomyoma refers to benign leiomyoma metastasizing to extra-uterine sites, dominantly lung. Solitary or multiple small nodules in the lung can be seen in image scans.

METHODS

We report 2 cases of intravenous leiomyomatosis with inferior vena cava or intracardiac extension and concurrent multiple nodules in bilateral lungs.

RESULTS

Case 1 was a 40-year-old woman with a large mass in pelvic cavity, masses in heart chambers, and disseminates pulmonary nodules detected at preoperative image scans. Masses in pelvic cavity and heart were resected in a 2-stage surgery. Histology examination confirmed the diagnosis of intravenous leiomyomatosis. Pulmonary nodules stayed stable during follow-up. Case 2 was a 37-year-old woman with 3 times of uterine-related surgeries. A pelvic mass appeared again and filling defect was observed in left ovarian vein, right renal vein, right common iliac vein, and inferior vena cava. Tumors in pelvic cavity and within vessels were removed in a 1-stage surgery. Histology examination confirmed the diagnosis of intravenous leiomyomatosis. Pulmonary nodules remained stable during follow-up.

CONCLUSION

The incidence of benign metastatic leiomyoma in patients with intravenous leiomyomatosis might be relatively high. Metastasis of intravenous leiomyomatosis lesions was a possible source of benign metastatic leiomyoma in these cases.

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

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate novel hormonal therapies in patients with unresectable benign metastasizing leiomyoma (BML) disease.

DESIGN

Case series.

SETTING

National Institutes of Health (NIH).

PATIENT(S)

Five subjects with the diagnosis of BML based on imaging and/or histopathologic diagnosis.

INTERVENTION(S)

Four patients were treated with single or combination therapy of leuprolide acetate and/or an aromatase inhibitor. One patient was treated with an antiprogestin (CDB-2914).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

Response to therapy was measured by tumor burden on cross-sectional imaging employing RECIST (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors) 1.1 guidelines.

RESULT(S)

Four patients treated with single or combination therapy of leuprolide acetate and/or an aromatase inhibitor demonstrated stable disease with reduction in tumor burden. The fifth patient treated with antiprogestin (CDB-2914) had degeneration of her tumor, progression of its size, and an improvement in symptoms.

CONCLUSION(S)

Hormone treatment with GnRH agonist and/or aromatase inhibition may be a therapeutic option to reduce tumor burden in unresectable BML disease or for those patients who wish to avoid surgical intervention. RECIST 1.1 guidelines, while traditionally used to evaluate tumor response to cancer therapeutics, may be useful in evaluating BML tumor burden response to hormone therapy.

Benign metastasizing leiomyoma of the lung

A 44-year-old woman was found to have an abnormal shadow on a chest X-ray during a regular health checkup, and visited our department. Chest computed tomography showed multiple nodular shadows in both lungs. The patient had no history of neoplasm except for myomectomy for uterine leiomyoma 6 years previously. Eighteen months later, the nodules showed a gradual increase in size, and video-assisted thoracoscopic biopsy of a nodule was performed. Histopathologically, the pulmonary nodule was composed of benign smooth muscle cells proliferating in fascicles, consistent with the diagnosis of benign metastasizing leiomyoma. Benign metastasizing leiomyoma is defined as a histologically benign uterine smooth muscle tumor that acts in a somewhat malignant fashion and produces benign metastases. Although it is a rare condition, it should be considered in asymptomatic women of reproductive age with a history of uterine leiomyoma, who present with solitary or multiple pulmonary nodules. Herein, we report a case of pulmonary benign metastasizing leiomyoma.

Uterine smooth muscle tumors other than the ordinary leiomyomas and leiomyosarcomas: a review of selected variants with emphasis on recent advances and unusual morphology that may cause concern for malignancy

Uterine smooth muscle tumors are classified according to their morphologic features that include architecture, growth pattern, cellular characteristics and constituents of the intercellular stroma. While terminologies used for the pathologic diagnosis of various subtypes may be eloquent and histologically accurate, some of these are confusing for the clinician and may also be open to interpretation by different pathologists: the labeling of atypical leiomyomas epitomizes this intricate system. Clinically, it is probably more useful to classify them as either tumors with or tumors without recurrent and/or metastatic potential. The term "atypical leiomyoma" has been used to label tumors that have a low risk of recurrence and is synonymous with benign tumors. The latter are known variously as leiomyoma with bizarre nuclei, symplastic leiomyoma, or pleomorphic leiomyoma. Variants of benign uterine smooth muscle tumors, such as mitotically active leiomyoma, cellular and highly cellular leiomyoma, epithelioid leiomyoma, and myxoid leiomyoma each have distinctive hallmarks that enable subclassification. Nevertheless, they may occasionally possess one or more unusual features that are cause for alarm. Tumors that have a dissecting growth pattern, with or without extrauterine extension, may mimic malignancy both grossly and microscopically. The current review discusses the pathologic diagnosis of and terminology applied to selected variants of uterine smooth muscle tumors other than the ordinary leiomyomas and leiomyosarcomas with emphasis on unusual reported features that may indicate malignancy. This includes an update on uterine smooth muscle tumor of uncertain malignant potential (STUMP), intravenous leiomyomatosis, benign metastasizing leiomyoma, and diffuse leiomyomatosis. Their clinicopathologic features, differential diagnoses, and management options based on findings in the previously reported cases will also be reviewed.