[Leiomyoblastoma of the stomach (author's transl)]

Clinical symptomatology, pathology and surgical management of five patients with gastric leiomyoblastoma are reported. Leiomyoblastomas of the gastrointestinal tract are defined as a group of tumors, which originate from the smooth muscle, and which have to be classified in between benign leiomyomas and malignant leiomyosarcomas. These tumors metastasize in about 10% of cases. Patients come to the hospital in most cases because of unspecific upper abdominal symptoms. During surgery one usually finds solitary, well defined, cystic tumors of a size of 0.5 to 30 cm expanding intramurally versus neighbouring structures; ulcerations of the gastric mucosa are rare. The diagnosis is established by microscopic examination during surgery. Treatment is extensive excision of the tumor.