Gastrointestinal (GI) leiomyo-sarcoma (LMS) case series and review on diagnosis, management and prognosis

This review of 76 gastrointestinal (GI) leiomyosarcoma (LMS) cases that include 11 cases from the American University of Beirut Medical Centerrepresents, to our knowledge, the largest number of combined GI LMS cases reported. The age range of GI LMS is variable, and the presentation is non-specific, making pathological diagnosis essential. LMSs usually lack CD117 and CD 34 mutations and are usually positive for smooth muscle cell markers. The review highlights surgery as the mainstay of treatment with negative margins attained most of the times. Adjuvant chemotherapy is used in around 7–27 % of the cases mainly for small intestinal and colorectal LMS. The relatively small number of patients is a limitation on outcome analysis. However, LMS has a risk of recurrence reaching 39–80 % and secondary metastasis reaching 55–71 % in small intestinal and colorectal cases. In light of the high frequency of recurrence and metastasis, enrolling patients in clinical randomized trials to investigate the role of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and targeted therapy is required for better control of this rare aggressive GI tumor.

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Author informationAuthors and Affiliations

Department of Radiation Oncology, Naef K. Basile Cancer Institute, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon

Lara Hilal

Gastrointestinal Division, Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon

Kassem Barada

Department of Internal Medicine, Naef K. Basile Cancer Institute, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon

Deborah Mukherji, Sally Temraz & Ali Shamseddine

Hematology - Oncology Division, Tumor Registry, P.O.Box: 11-0236, Riad El Solh, Beirut, 110 72020, Lebanon

Ali Shamseddine

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Correspondence to Ali Shamseddine.

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Hilal, L., Barada, K., Mukherji, D. et al. Gastrointestinal (GI) leiomyosarcoma (LMS) case series and review on diagnosis, management, and prognosis. Med Oncol 33, 20 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-016-0730-3

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Received: 31 December 2015

Accepted: 07 January 2016

Published: 20 January 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-016-0730-3