Primary leiomyosarcoma of the cervical spine causing spontaneous compression fracture: report of an autopsy case

An extremely rare case of the primary leiomyosarcoma of the cervical spine presenting as a compression fracture is reported. A 69-year-old man complained of dysesthesia of both hands. A plain radiograph, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of the cervical spine showed a compression fracture of the vertebral body at C7 without the formation of an obvious mass. From radiological findings, the fracture was considered to be caused by an infiltrative vertebral bone tumor. Biopsy of the tumor revealed a leiomyosarcoma, a metastatic tumor being ruled out by a systemic investigation. The patient died of pleural metastasis 6 months later, and an autopsy confirmed the primary site of the tumor as the cervical spine.