Leiomyosarcoma of the skin and subcutaneous tissue

Leiomyosarcomas arising in the skin and subcutaneous tissue are rare tumors, and diagnosis usually is made by microscopic examination of the lesion. These lesions typically appear as a single, smooth nodule in the skin but may also occur as multiple nodules with varying surface changes. After local excision, these lesions recur in a large proportion of patients. However, metastatic spread that leads to death seems to occur only in patients with the subcutaneous variety of the tumor. Three patients had varied clinical appearances of leiomyosarcomas. In one case, which was available for long-term evaluation, no recurrence was noted six years after surgical excision of a single lesion.