Leiomyosarcomas of the extremities

Leiomyosarcomas are uncommon malignant neoplasms that rarely arise in the extremities. We report on the clinical characteristics of 17 cases seen at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center over a 32 year period. Most neoplasms occurred in the lower extremities, and most of the tumors recurred after surgery alone, with several late recurrences. The overall prognosis was grim, with a median survival of 24 months. More aggressive multidisciplinary approaches to this disease are warranted.