ISSN:
1365-2559
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Leiomyosarcoma of the head and neck: a clinicopathological study Aims: The behaviour of leiomyosarcoma is site-related and there are few data on such tumours located in the head and neck. We studied the clinicopathological features of these lesions. Methods and results: Cases diagnosed as leiomyosarcoma of the head and neck were retrieved from the archives of three institutions. Immunohistochemistry was performed and follow-up information was obtained. There were seven men and six women, aged 21–73 years, and lesions involved the neck (n=3), maxilla (n=4), buccal area (n=3), and maxillary sinus, nose, and pharynx (n=1 each). Tumours ranged from 10 to 80 mm. All tumours showed at least focally typical histological features of leiomyosarcoma with perpendicularly arranged fascicles of smooth muscle cells with blunt-ended nuclei, eosinophilic cytoplasm and paranuclear vacuoles. They expressed muscle-specific actin (8/9), smooth muscle actin (7/9), and desmin (10/12). Follow-up information was available on nine patients. All had surgery, with radiation and/or chemotherapy in seven. Three (27%) recurred at 6–24 months; in one case twice. Five (56%) had metastases, including the three with prior recurrences at 1–128 months. Five (including two who received adjuvant therapy) were disease-free at a median of 47 months, one was alive with metastatic disease at 24 months), and three were dead of disease (median 13 months). Conclusions: Head and neck leiomyosarcomas are rare and aggressive neoplasms which metastasize. Adjuvant therapy has limited effect.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2559.2002.01412.x
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