Torsed retroperitoneal leiomyomas:A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND Retroperitoneal leiomyomas(RLs)are rare benign tumours that can occur in the pelvic and/or abdominal parietal retroperitoneum.Once torsion occurs,it causes acute abdominal pain and can even lead to serious consequences such as gangrene,peritonitis,haemoperitoneum and shock if not identified and treated promptly.Therefore,a better understanding of the characteristics of RL torsion is needed.Here,we present a case of acute pedicle torsion of an RL in the posterior peritoneum followed by a literature review.CASE SUMMARY Herein,we report the case of a 42-year-old woman with RL torsion.The patient visited our hospital complaining of lower abdominal pain for 6 d.Pelvic examination revealed a tender mass superior to the uterus.Pelvic magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)revealed an anterior uterine mass,multiple uterine fibroids and slight pelvic effusion.MRI suggested the possibility of a subserosal myoma of the anterior uterine wall with degeneration.Intraoperative exploration revealed a 10 cm pedunculated mass arising from the posterior peritoneum,with the pedicle torsed two times.Pathological examination confirmed a torsed RL.CONCLUSION In the case of a pelvic mass complicated with acute abdomen,the possibility of torsion should be considered.

Laryngeal leiomyoma:A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND Leiomyomas(LMs)are mesenchymal tumors that arise from smooth muscle cells.LMs most commonly arise in organs with an abundance of smooth muscle such as the uterus and gastrointestinal tract.Conversely,LMs are rarely detected in the head and neck region.In this study,we report a rare case of laryngeal LM(LLM)and summarized the clinical characteristics of reported LLMs to help clinicians better understand this rare disease and improve its diagnosis,treatment,and postoperative course.CASE SUMMARY A 49-year-old man was admitted to our ENT outpatient clinic with a chief complaint of pharynx discomfort for 2 months.Laryngoscopy performed under topical anesthesia revealed a solitary,pink mass at the tubercle of epiglottis.Surgery via laryngeal endoscopy was performed under general anesthesia,and the lesion was excised easily.Positive immunohistochemical staining for desmin and smooth-muscle actin indicated a smooth muscle origin and the diagnosis was laryngeal leiomyoma.After surgery,the patient’s condition was stable,and he was discharged 2 d after surgery.During the 1-year postoperative period,the patient’s condition remained stable without evidence of recurrence.CONCLUSION Surgical resection is the preferred treatment for LLMs,its early diagnosis and differential diagnosis have important clinical significance.

Posterior choroidal leiomyoma: new findings from a case and literature review

·Posterior choroidal leiomyoma is a sporadic, rare benign tumor that is always confused with anaplastic melanoma. Here we report a case and provide a review. Most of the preoperative findings in our case were suggestive of malignant choroidal melanoma. However, the contrast enhanced ultrasound(CEUS) suggested a benign hemangioma. In summary, the posterior choroidal leiomyomas were yellowish-white in color and most commonly located in the temporal quadrant of the fundus(11/15). They were more frequent in Asians(13/16), the prevalence was almost equal in males and females(9:7), with a mean age of 35y. Microscopically, the tumor typically showed spindle cell bundles and nonmitotic ovoid nuclei arranged in intersecting fascicles. Vitrectomy is now a popular treatment option and definitive diagnosis can be made after immunohistochemistry. Finally, some summarized features of this tumor differ from those previously described. These may help in the diagnosis of posterior choroidal leiomyoma and differentiation from malignant melanoma.

Are biopsies during endoscopic ultrasonography necessary for a suspected esophageal leiomyoma?Is laparoscopy always feasible?

The present letter to the editor is related to the work entitled“Large leiomyoma of lower esophagus diagnosed by endoscopic ultrasonography-fine needle aspiration:A case report.”Although endoscopic ultrasonography seems necessary in a suspected leiomyoma of the esophagus,the performance of biopsies via fine needle aspiration is controversial as it increases the risk of complications such as bleeding,infection,and intraoperative perforations.Laparoscopy is the best treatment strategy for small tumors.Laparotomy with tumor enucleation or esophageal resection can be considered in large leiomyomas.

Uterine artery embolization combined with percutaneous microwave ablation for the treatment of prolapsed uterine submucosal leiomyoma:A case report

BACKGROUND Vaginal myomectomy is the most common form of radical treatment for prolapsed submucosal leiomyoma and is typically performed under general anesthesia.However,an alternative treatment approach is needed for patients who cannot tolerate general anesthesia.We describe a case with such a patient who was successfully treated via a minimally invasive method under local anesthesia.CASE SUMMARY A 46-year-old female suffered from abnormal uterine bleeding,severe anemia,and a reduced quality of life attributed to a massive prolapsed submucosal leiomyoma.She could not tolerate general anesthesia due to a congenital thoracic malformation and cardiopulmonary insufficiency.A new individualized combined treatment,consisting uterine artery embolization(UAE),percutaneous microwave ablation(PMWA)of the pedicle and the endometrium,and transvaginal removal of the leiomyoma by twisting,was performed.The lesion was completely removed successfully under local anesthesia without any major complications.The postoperative follow-up showed complete symptom relief and a significant improvement in the quality of life.CONCLUSION UAE combined with PMWA can be performed under local anesthesia and is a promising alternative treatment for patients who cannot tolerate general anesthesia.

Cystic Degeneration of Uterine Leiomyoma Misdiagnosed as Ovarian Malignancy: A Case Report

Background: Massive cystic degeneration of the uterine myoma might mimic an ovarian tumor, especially a malignant ovarian tumor, causing misdiagnosis. We present a case of a woman with marked cystic degeneration of a uterine leiomyoma mimicking an ovarian neoplasm. Case: A 65-year-old woman (gravida 6, para 6) visited us due to an abdominal tumor. Clinical examination and radiology exploration suggested the presence of an ovarian tumour. The patient underwent a total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral adnexectomy. Histopathology confirmed a final diagnosis of a degenerated leiomyoma. The patient’s postoperative course was uneventful and she was discharged on her 5th post-operative day. Conclusions: When a patient has a huge abdomino-pelvic mass, mimicking an ovarian tumor, cystic degeneration of uterine myoma should be considered as a differential diagnosis.

Effects of curcumin on uterine leiomyoma in a rat model by inhibiting β-catenin/Wnt signaling pathway

Background:Women with uterine leiomyomas may suffer severe symptoms.To avoid risks of side effects,it is necessary to develop an optimal agent to shrink leiomyomas with fewer side effects and a lower recurrence rate.Curcumin may have a lower side effect in uterine leiomyoma treatment.Methods:We established the estrogen-and-progesterone-induced murine model of uterine leiomyoma.Next,we determined the expression of related genes of the β-catenin/Wnt signaling pathway by western blot,reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction,and immunohistochemistry.We also noticed the morphological changes in uterine tissues by hematoxylin-eosin staining.Results:Curcumin plays an important role in Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway-related expression including β-catenin,adenomatous polyposis coli,glycogen synthase kinase-3β,Wnt-11,and serum hormone concentrations.Conclusions:Curcumin could the down-regulation of serum hormone concentrations and inhibition of the β-catenin/Wnt signaling pathway in the treatment of uterine leiomyoma.

Identifcation of up-regulated genes in human uterine leiomyoma by sup-pression subtractive hybridization

In searching for differentially expressed genes in human uterine leiomyomas (ULs), suppression sub-tractive hybridization was used to construct an UL up-regulated library, which turned out to represent 88genes. After two rounds of screening by reverse Northern analysis, twenty genes were proved to be up-regulated, including seventeen known genes and three genes with unknown function. All these genes werefirstly associated with UL. Three genes with notable difference were selected for Northern confirmationOur results proved the authenticity of the twenty genes. One gene named Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) showedup-regulation in 4/6 of the patients and investigation of tissue distribution indicated that it had obviousexpression in prostate, testis, liver, heart and skeletal muscle.

Case of rectal angioleiomyoma in a female patient

Angioleiomyoma represents a benign stromal tumor, which usually occurs in the subcutaneous tissue of the extremities, although its occurrence in the gastrointestinal tract is very rare. A case of rectal angioleiomyoma in a 40 year-old female patient is described here. Six months earlier, the patient suffered from periodical prolapse of an oval tumor from the anus, along with difficulties in bowel movement. A transanal extirpation of the tumor was performed. This is the first reported case in the English literature of a patient presenting with prolapsed angioleiomyoma of the rectum. During the immediate postoperative period, as well as 6 mo later, the patient had an unremarkable postoperative recovery.

Identification of up-regulated genes in human uterine leiomyoma by sup-pression subtractive hybridization

In searching for differentially expressed genes in human uterine leiomyomas (ULs), suppression sub-tractive hybridization was used to construct an UL up-regulated library, which turned out to represent 88genes. After two rounds of screening by reverse Northern analysis, twenty genes were proved to be up-regulated, including seventeen known genes and three genes with unknown function. All these genes werefirstly associated with UL. Three genes with notable difference were selected for Northern confirmationOur results proved the authenticity of the twenty genes. One gene named Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) showedup-regulation in 4/6 of the patients and investigation of tissue distribution indicated that it had obviousexpression in prostate, testis, liver, heart and skeletal muscle.

Pulmonary benign metastasizing leiomyoma: A case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND Pulmonary benign metastatic leiomyoma(PBML),which is very rare,is a type of benign metastatic leiomyoma(BML).Here,we report a case of PBML,finally diagnosed through multidisciplinary team(MDT)discussions,and provide a literature review of the disease.CASE SUMMARY A 55-year old asymptomatic woman was found to have bilateral multiple lung nodules on a chest high-resolution computed tomography(HRCT)scan.Her medical history included total hysterectomy for uterine leiomyoma.The patient was diagnosed with PBML,on the basis of her clinical history,imaging manifestations,and computed tomography(CT)-guided percutaneous lung puncture biopsy,via MDT discussions.As the patient was asymptomatic,she received long-term monitoring without treatment.A follow-up of chest HRCT after 6 mo showed that the PBML lung nodules were stable and there was no progression.CONCLUSION For patients with a medical history of hysterectomy and uterine leiomyoma with lung nodules on chest CT,PBML should be considered during diagnosis based on the clinical history,imaging manifestations,CT-guided percutaneous lung puncture biopsy,and MDT discussions.

Diffuse uterine leiomyomatosis: A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND Diffuse uterine leiomyomatosis(DUL)is a benign uterine smooth muscle neoplasm with unknown etiology.Since DUL is rarely reported,knowledge regarding it is limited.The rate of early diagnosis is low,and DUL is often misdiagnosed as common multiple uterine leiomyomas before surgery.CASE SUMMARY A 27-year-old patient with no sexual activity presented to the Emergency Department of our hospital complaining of heavy vaginal bleeding.She had a history of uterine fibroids and menorrhagia.Pelvic examination showed a regularly enlarged uterus,similar in size to that associated with a 4-mo pregnancy.Pelvic magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)revealed numerous multiple uterine fibroids,and a transabdominal myomectomy(TM)was performed.Intraoperative exploration revealed that the myometrium was full of myoma nodules of variable sizes.Over 50 leiomyomas were removed.The pathology report confirmed leiomyoma.The patient was discharged and received a gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog(3.75 mg)for 6 mo.Ten months after surgery,the patient presented to the hospital again for abnormal uterine bleeding.MRI showed an irregular mass with a diameter of 5.2 cm without sharp demarcation in the uterine cavity.Submucosal leiomyoma was considered first,and the patient underwent a hysteroscopic myomectomy plus hymen repair.Intraoperative exploration showed that there were several leiomyomatosis masses in the cavity.Postoperative pathological exam-ination confirmed submucosal leiomyoma and necrotic and generative tissue.Although the menstrual cycle was still irregular,the patient did not have symptoms of menorrhagia for a period of 28 mo after the second surgery.CONCLUSION Individuals with DUL are easily misdiagnosed due to the lack of specific manifestations of this disease.MRI is helpful for early identification and preoperative evaluation.There is currently no unified method of diagnosis.For women who want to preserve fertility,conservative surgery should be made an option.When TM is chosen,a modified new myomectomy should be considered to avoid the drawbacks of traditional TM.

Evolution of a Disseminated Peritoneal Leiomyomatosis: About a Case

Disseminated peritoneal leiomyomatosis (DPL) is a benign tumor of smooth muscle tissue. It is rare and is characterized by the development of multiple peritoneal nodules simulating peritoneal carcinosis. Less than 200 cases have been reported in the literature so far. We are reporting a case of DPL detected during a Caesarean section 6 years ago in a 41-year-old female patient, G5P2. The patient underwent an elective iterative caesarean section at 38 weeks of amenorrhea for a fetus in breech presentation. During laparotomy, there was a marked regression of the peritoneal nodules varying in size from 0.1 to 0.5 cm. Histological examination showed a proliferation of smooth muscle fibers without mitosis, atypia or necrosis. DPL is a benign, confusing condition that simulates peritoneal carcinomatosis, which must be recognized as such in order to avoid a dilapidated and unnecessary surgical procedure.

Giant cellular leiomyoma in the broad ligament of the uterus:A case report

BACKGROUND The treatment of large pelvic masses in postmenopausal women is a challenge in clinical practice.Although ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging can be used to determine the size and location of the mass,it is still difficult to achieve a preoperative diagnosis.The majority of cellular leiomyomas are diagnosed by histopathology after surgery.We report the differential diagnosis and surgical management of a rare case of cellular leiomyoma in the broad ligament of the uterus.CASE SUMMARY A 52-year-old Chinese woman without sexual history was admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine for the first time.The patient had a 1-year history of progressive abdominal enlargement as well as a 2-year history of menopause,and complained of frequent abdominal pain and low-grade fever.Computed tomography of the abdomen showed a solid cystic mass(29.4 cm×18.8 cm×37.7 cm)in the pelvis and abdomen.Moreover,routine blood test results indicated a baseline cancer antigen 125(CA-125)level of 187.7 U/mL and C-reactive protein of 109.58 mg/L.Subsequently,retrograde hysterectomy and bilateral adnexectomy were performed in this patient.On histopathologic examination of the surgical specimen,a rare cellular leiomyoma in the broad ligament was diagnosed.CONCLUSION Clinicians need to constantly improve diagnosis and treatment for the challenges posed during clinical assessment,differential diagnosis,and surgical management.

A Case Report on Pulmonary Benign Metastasizing Leiomyoma with Recurrent Uterine Fibroids

Pulmonary benign metastasizing leiomyoma(PBML)is a type of benign metastasizing leiomyoma(BML),which metastasizes to lungs.In view of the rarity and nonspecific imaging characteristics of PBML,this condition is easily misdiagnosed as malignant lung cancer.This is a case report of a 39-year-old lady in whom multiple bilateral lung nodules were found during a health checkup and was diagnosed with PBML.The patient had recurrent uterine fibroids and underwent myomectomy twice,7 years and 3 years ago,respectively,before the diagnosis of PBML was made.This patient was asymptomatic,and regular examinations were normal.Her laboratory investigations were all within normal range.Computed tomography(CT)showed multiple nodules in bilateral lungs.In order to confirm the disease,thoracoscopic nodule resection and tissue biopsy were performed.Hematoxylin eosin(HE)staining showed spindle-shaped cells,while immunohistochemical staining revealed positive for desmin,smooth muscle actin(SMA),estrogen receptor(ER),and progesterone receptor(PR),which are all PBML markers.The patient was followed-up without any further treatment.After 8 months of follow-up,CT scan revealed an increased number of nodules.This is unique case because of the recurrence of uterine fibroids,which means that the patient is susceptible to it.Our report may give a new insight to the relationship between the susceptibility of uterine fibroids and the onset and progression of PBML.

Role of epidermal growth factor in pathogenesis of uterine leiomyomas

Objective:To investigate the role of epidermal growth factor(EGF) in the pathogenesis of uterine leiomyomas.Methods:Human myometrial smooth muscle cells(HM-SMCs) and smooth muscle cells of human uterine leiomyomas(HL-SMCs) were separated from patients' specimens and cultured.After processed by EGF or PD98059(inhibitor of MKK/MEK) +EGF,the proliferation rate of both SMCs was detected by BrdU method and the phosphorylation level of p44/42 mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK) was determined by Western-blot.After different processing time by EGF,the phosphorylation levels of p44/42 MAPK and AKT and p27 expression level in both SMCs were detected by Western-blot.Results:EGF could significantly promote HL-SMCs proliferation and PD98059 could inhibit this effect(P<0.05);besides,PD98059 could inhibit the increase of the phosphorylation level of p44/42 MAPK in both SMCs induced by EGF.When the processing time by EGF was over 15 min,the phosphorylation levels of p44/42 MAPK and AKT in both SMCs decreased sharply and were close to zero:p27 expression in HM-SMCs raised significantly while the upregulation in HL-SMCs was little.Conclusions:EGF could not cause activation of EGFR because of the dephosphorylation of p44/42 MAPK and AKT in HL-SMCs,which caused p27 expression insufficiently and cell cycle dysregulation.

Endoscopic resection of co-existing severe dysplasia and a small esophageal leiomyoma

Leiomyoma is the most common benign mesenchymal tumor of the esophagus.A small leiomyoma covered with endoscopically normal mucosa has a characteristic endoscopic ultrasonographic appearance,slow growth rate,and negligible risk of malignant transformation;therefore the histology does not need to be proven.Synchronous tumors such as an epithelial tumor and small subepithelial tumor in the upper gastrointestinal tract are uncommon.We describe a case with a coexisting small leiomyoma and severe dysplasia in the esophagus which were completely resected by endoscopic mucosal resection.

Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and its receptors VEGFR-1 and 2 in gastrointestinal stromal tumors,leiomyomas and schwannomas

AIM： To investigate the role of vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF/and its receptors VEGFR-1 and 2 in the growth and differentiation of gastrointestinal strornal tumors （GISTs）. METHODS： Thirty-three GISTs, 15 leiomyomas and 6 schwannomas were examined by immunohistochemistry in this study. RESULTS： VEGF protein was expressed in the cytoplasm of tumor cells, and VEGFRol and 2 were expressed both in the cytoplasm and on the membrane of all tumors. Irnrnunohistochernical staining revealed that 26 GISTs （78.8%）, 9 leiornyornas （60.0%） and 3 schwannornas （50.0%/were positive for VEGF; 24 GISTs （72.7%/, 12 leiornyornas （80.0%） and 4 schwannornas （66.7%） were positive for VEGFR-1; 30 GISTs （90.9%/, 5 leiornyornas （33.3%/and 4 schwannornas （66.7%） were positive for VEGFR-2. VEGFR-2 expression was statistically different between GISTs and leiomyomas （P 〈 0.0001）. However, there was no correlation between the expression of VEGF pathway componenets and the clinical risk categories. CONCLUSION： Our results suggest that the VEGF pathway may play an important role in the differentiation of GISTs, leiomyomas and schwannomas.

Coexistence of esophageal superficial carcinoma and multiple leiomyomas:A case report

Leiomyomas are the most common benign tumors of the esophagus. They usually occur as a single lesion or as two or three nodules. Only two cases of esophageal multiple leiomyomas comprising more than 10 nodules have been reported previously. Moreover, there have been few reports of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma overlying submucosal tumors. We describe a 71-yearold man who was diagnosed as having a superficial esophageal cancer coexisting with two or three leiomyoma nodules. During surgery, 10 or more nodules that had not been evident preoperatively were palpable in the submucosal and muscular layers throughout the esophagus. As intramural metastasis of the esophageal cancer was suspected, we considered additional lymphadenectomy, but had to rule out this option because of the patient＇s severe anoxemia. Microscopic examination revealed that all the nodules were leiomyomas （20 lesions, up to 3 cm in diameter）, and that invasion of the carcinoma cells was limited to the submucosal layer overlying a relatively large leiomyoma. This is the first report of superficial esophageal cancer coexisting with numerous solitary leiomyomas. Multiple minute leiomyomas are often misdiagnosed as intramural metastasis, and a leiomyoma at the base of a carcinoma lesion can also be rnisdiagnosed as tumor invasion. The present case shows that accurate diagnosis is required for the management of patients with coexisting superficial esophageal cancer and multiple leiomyomas.