A clinical study on leiomyosarcoma of the gastrointestinal system.

A clinical study was performed on 13 cases of leiomyosarcoma of the gastrointestinal system admitted to Inje Medical College, Pusan Paik Hospital, from 1981 to 1990, and the following results were obtained. 1) The locations of the leiomyosarcoma were the stomach (4 cases), the duodenum (4 cases), the jejunum (2 cases), the rectum (2 cases), and the ileum (1 case), in order of frequency. The age distribution was wide, from 12 years to 70 years, and the average age was 46 years. The ratio of male-to-female was 8:5, the male being 8 cases and the female 5 cases. 2) The most common symptom was gastrointestinal hemorrhage, 9 cases out of 13, and the duration of illness varied, from 3 days to 5 years, but was not closely related to the severity of illness. 3) The incidence of leiomyosarcoma of the gastrointestinal system compared with other malignant tumors in the same period was about 0.8%, the stomach 0.3%, the small intestine 22.6% (the duodenum 26.7%, the jejunum 22.2%, the ileum 14.3%), and the rectum 1.1%, which was consistent with other monographs. 4) All 13 cases underwent surgical intervention, and postoperative chemotherapy was done on 4 cases in which the regimen was VAC (Vincristine, Adriamycin, Cyclophosphamide). Postoperative radiotherapy was done in 1 case. In brief, leimyosarcoma of the gastrointestinal system was most frequent in the small intestine, gastrointestinal hemorrhage was the commonest clinical symptom, the duration of illness was mainly less than 1 year, all age groups were involved; and the overall incidence was less then 1% of the gastrointestinal malignancy.