Prognostic factors of 28 leiomyosarcomas of the small intestine

Leiomyosarcoma of the small intestine is a rare tumor, comprising 0.2 per cent of all malignant tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. The charts of 28 patients were reviewed; the outstanding characteristics were a slow growing, but sometimes, fast growing locally malignant lesion, more than half being in the ileum. Arteriograms are better than a roentgenographic series of the small intestine for diagnosis. Adjuvant therapy is probably of no benefit. Between histologically benign leiomyomas and malignant leiomyosarcomas, there is a third group with histologic manifestations of malignancy and good prognosis, seven of ten patients surviving to five years. To define this group, we need an association of these three factors, duration of symptoms for more than one year, no metastasis and a tumor diameter of less than 9 centimeters.