Primary paraspinal leiomyosarcoma invading the cervical spinal canal successfully treated with surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy

Leiomyogenic tumor of the spine: surgical treatments and long-term outcomes of 12 consecutive patients

OBJECTIVE

Leiomyogenic tumor of the spine is rare with limited published information. Here, the authors report the clinical features and long-term surgical outcomes and investigate the prognostic factors affecting disease-free survival (DFS).

METHODS

Twelve patients presented to the authors' institution for surgical treatment from January 2005 to December 2018. The clinical characteristics and outcomes were retrospectively reviewed, and the DFS rate was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The log-rank test was used to identify the potential prognostic factors, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

The mean patient age was 49.7 ± 12.9 years (range 22-73 years). Four patients underwent marginal en bloc resection, and 8 patients underwent conventional piecemeal resection. Pathological diagnosis revealed leiomyosarcoma in 9 patients and leiomyoma in 3 patients. Three patients had tumor recurrence at a mean follow-up of 10.4 months (range 7.0-15.0 months), while 4 developed metastases at an average of 13.8 months (range 5.5-21.3 months) postoperatively. During the mean follow-up of 33.7 months (range 9.6-78.5 months), the estimated 1- and 5-year DFS rates were 66.7% and 38.2%, respectively. Albumin loss > 20 g/L after surgery, Ki-67 positivity > 10%, and piecemeal resection were correlated with worse DFS.

CONCLUSIONS

Surgical management of spinal leiomyogenic tumors is challenging due to the high rate of recurrence and metastases. En bloc resection should be performed in eligible patients. Albumin loss > 20 g/L and the Ki-67 index may be independent factors affecting prognosis.

Free disease long-term survival in primary thoracic spine leiomyosarcoma after total en bloc spondylectomy: A case report

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Primary vertebral leiomyosarcoma in thoracic spine is extremely rare.

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Metastatic origin must be excluded.

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Wide surgical excision can result in local tumor control and long-term survival.

Introduction

To describe an unusual primary vertebral leiomyosarcoma in thoracic spine.

Presentation of case

An isolated lesion of the T11 vertebra in a 62-year-old woman with no neurologic deficit is reported. Imaging findings indicated a nonspecific high-grade malignant lesion. TC-guided biopsy failed thus open incisional biopsy was needed. A diagnosis of low-intermediate mesenchymal sarcoma was made. A total en bloc spondylectomy of T11 was performed with three-column reconstruction. The histology and immunostaining showed the appearance of leiomyosarcoma. After diagnosis, post-operative radiation therapy was performed. Metastatic lesion was ruled out by CT scans of the chest, abdomen and pelvis, in addition to total body radionuclide scanning and 18-F-FDG-PET. After five years of follow-up, no signs of local recurrence, metastasis or distant lesions suggesting a primary lesion were observed.

Discussion

Vertebral primary leiomyosarcoma is exceedingly rare. Primary vertebral leiomyosarcoma diagnosis must be performed when the metastatic origin is excluded. For the treatment of primary tumors, total en bloc spondylectomy (TES) is the technique of choice to achieve marginal or wide tumor resection, decrease the risk of local recurrence and remote lesions and increase survival.

Conclusions

A well-planned pre-operative study and a wide surgical excision can result in local tumor control and long-term survival. This case presents the longest disease-free survival period of a primary leiomyosarcoma in spinal location after total en bloc spondylectomy.

Primary multiple osseous leiomyosarcomas of the spine metastasizing to the skull

Primary osseous leiomyosarcoma of the spine is a very unusual condition, with only few cases being reported in the literature. In fact, this type of tumors arises from the smooth muscle cells and occurs usually in the uterus and the gastrointestinal tracts. If the spine should be involved, it occurs generally as a metastatic location. Location to the spine as a primary site is exceedingly rare. We present the case of a 37 years old female patient, with multiple spine levels involvement - to vertebral body and to posterior aspects of Vertebra, causing spinal cord compression syndrome. A secondary location to the skull was diagnosed one month later. Through a literature review, we analyze various aspects in the diagnosis and management of this rare entity.

Prognostic Differences: Epstein-Barr Virus-Associated Primary Leiomyosarcoma of the Spine Versus Spinal Leiomyosarcoma Metastases

OBJECTIVE

The authors studied 6 cases of osseous leiomyosarcoma of the spine. Two of these cases were of immunocompromised human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated primary vertebral leiomyosarcomas. The remaining 4 cases were of patients with leiomyosarcoma metastases to the spine.

METHODS

Each patient underwent surgical resection of their vertebral mass; however, the patients with the EBV-associated tumors had the best postoperative prognosis.

RESULTS

The HIV-positive patients have had no further local recurrence, while the other 4 patients had rapid local recurrences requiring multiple surgical interventions. Furthermore, the patients living with HIV have lived longer with fewer leiomyosarcoma-related health complications.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that EBV-associated vertebral leiomyosarcoma is of a less aggressive variety than metastatic leiomyosarcoma of the spine.

Metastatic Leiomyosarcoma to the Spine Complicated With Thrombocytopenia

Uterine leiomyosarcomas do not frequently metastasize to the bone, and spinal column metastases are even less common. Surgery is the treatment of choice. Adjuvant radiation with or without chemotherapy depending on the extent of disease can be beneficial. We present the case of leiomyosarcoma metastasis to the spine with a previous history of known primary disease complicated by thrombocytopenia. Thrombocytopenia can present surgical challenges, but can also be present concurrently unrelated to the primary disease. A thorough evaluation is needed to rule out any underlying lymphoproliferative disorder or microangiopathic phenomenon.

Partial spondylectomy for primary leiomyosarcoma of C2 vertebra

STUDY DESIGN

A primary leiomyosarcoma located on the left side of the C2 is reported. Left-sided partial spondylectomy and anterior reconstruction with posterior stabilization was performed by a two-staged operation.

OBJECTIVE

To emphasize the occurrence of primary leiomyosarcoma and the importance of proper stabilization in the upper cervical spine.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Leiomyosarcoma is a rare malignant neoplasm of the bone and the primary leiomyosarcoma of the spine is extremely rare. Radical tumor excision is the goal in case of vertebral leiomyosarcoma, but to both gain surgical access to the upper cervical spine and obtain anterior reconstruction is challenging.

METHODS

Leiomyosarcoma of the C2 in a 25-year-old woman with mild neurologic deficits is reported. A left-sided partial spondylectomy of C2 was performed. The defect of the vertebral body was reconstructed by expandable titanium prosthesis, and posterior craniocervical fixation was performed by the polyaxial screws in the lateral masses and rod/plates.

RESULTS

The surgical margin was very small. The pathology of the tumor was reported as leiomyosarcoma. No sign of local recurrence or metastasis was evident 1 year after surgery.

CONCLUSION

Leiomyosarcoma, although rare, should be kept in mind as one of the possible diagnoses when a patient with an upper cervical tumor is presented and complete tumor removal must be the goal.