Smooth muscle tumors of the esophagus: clinicopathological findings in six patients.

Preoperatively, it is difficult to discriminate leiomyoma and leiomyosarcoma of the esophagus, which are rare smooth muscle tumors. The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinicopathological findings of this unusual lesion. A search of the surgery archives of the Toyama Prefectural Central Hospital of Pathology revealed six cases of esophageal smooth muscle tumors. Clinicopathological findings were reviewed retrospectively. Only three patients (50%) presented with dysphagia, and the remaining three patients were asymptomatic. These patients underwent surgical excision. Histologically four of the six tumors were leiomyomas, and the other two tumors were leiomyosarcomas. Two tumors were in the upper to middle esophagus, and the remaining four were in the distal esophagus. On endoscopic examination, all tumors were noted to be polypoid. The two leiomyosarcomas measured over 5 cm and the four leiomyomas less than 4 cm. Neither ulceration nor necrosis proved to be of use in discriminating leiomyoma and leiomyosarcoma. The two patients with leiomyosarcoma died of liver metastasis 10 and 22 months after the treatment. Patients with leiomyosarcoma presented with distant metastasis and/or recurrence, with hematogeneous metastasis being the predominant type of recurrence.