A CASE OF LEIMOMYOMA OF THE RECTUM

A case of leiomyoma of the rectum, a relatively rare disease in Japan, is reported. The patient, a 34-year-old woman, was discovered to have a tumor under the right mocosa of the rectum during her pregnancy and upon delivery. The tumor was diagnosed as benign leiomyoma by biopsy and the patient was put under course observation. Thereafter, she realized that her stool became thin and enlargement of the tumor was also recognized, so she was admitted to our hospital five years after the biopsy and underwent tylectomy. The tumor was 8×6×3.5cm in size. Histologic findings showed a leiomyoma consisting of definite spindle-shaped cells, without malignant indications. Her clinical course after discharge was uneventful and there have been no signs of relapse over the past one and a half years. As the difficulty of histologically differentiating the benignancy from malignancy of this disease has been pointed out by various investigators, tylectomy is initially recommended, rectectomy being considered if malignancy is suspected after satisfactory examination of the biopsy sample or if there is any sign of relapse.