Korean J Med.  2009 Jul;77(1):99-103.

A case of leiomyosarcoma arising from the posterior mediastinum

• Kim DY
• Kim KS
• Kim YH
• Kim WH
• Hong SP
• Lim KS
• Park PW

Abstract

Primary mediastinal leiomyosarcoma is an extremely rare neoplasm that arises from smooth muscle, usually in the esophagus or main vessels, but rarely from small vessels in the soft tissues of the mediastinum. The clinical findings depend mostly on its size and the subsequent compression of neighboring structures. The treatment of choice is surgical removal. We report the case of a 78-year-old female who presented with esophageal compression symptoms due to a 9-cm inhomogeneous mass in the posterior mediastinum. A computed tomography (CT)-guided gun biopsy and immunohistochemistry established the pathological diagnosis of leiomyosarcoma with a high grade of malignancy. Surgery was performed because of local invasion involving the aorta and diaphragm. The literature is reviewed and the pathology discussed

Keyword

Leiomyosarcoma; Mediastinum

MeSH Terms

Aged
Aorta
Biopsy
Diaphragm
Esophagus
Female
Humans
Immunohistochemistry
Leiomyosarcoma
Mediastinum
Muscle, Smooth