Leiomyosarcoma of the Vein: Review of the Literature and Report of a Case

Abstract

The literature on primary leiomyosarcoma of the vein is reviewed and a new case is presented. The disease is extremely uncommon, and only 40 cases have been published. Of these tumours, 25 were located in the caval vein and 16 in a peripheral vein. Pre-operative diagnosis is very difficult. The symptoms depend on the localisation of the venous obstruction produced by the tumour and on the completeness of the obstruction. Operative therapy should be given priority, and the results especially for peripheral vein tumours are satisfactory, despite the tendency to later metastases. The haemody-namic discomfort caused by radical excision of the tumour is slight, especially if collaterals have had time to develop.