Leiomyosarcoma of the rectum: a series of twelve cases

Leiomyosarcoma of the rectum is a rare disease without well-documented report on its management and prognosis in Taiwan. To evaluate the effectiveness and prognosis of different treatments for rectal leiomyosarcoma, we reviewed a series of 12 patients with rectal leiomyosarcoma treated at our hospital.

This study is a retrospective review of 12 rectal leiomyosarcomas treated at VGH-Taipei from 1976 to 1995, with emphasis on symptoms, therapeutic procedures and prognosis.

The majority of tumors occurred in men (n = 10) and the average age at presentation was 54.4 years. Bloody stool and perianal pain were the two most common symptoms. Nine tumors were found in the lower rectum, within 4 cm above the dentate line. Five patients received abdominoperineal resection, four received wide local excision, and three had diversion colostomy. The effect of adjuvant therapy, either chemo- or radiotherapy, was poor. The overall one-year and five-year survival rates were 83% and 46%, respectively. Liver was the principal metastatic site. The local recurrence rate was much higher in patients receiving wide local excision than in those receiving abdominoperineal resection (100% vs. 20%).

Abdominoperineal resection is an appropriate choice of treatment for patients with operable rectal leiomyosarcoma due to its lower local recurrence rate. Wide local excision could be considered when the lesion is less than 2 cm in diameter or when patients are not suitable for radical surgery. The effect of adjuvant therapy, either radiotherapy or chemotherapy, is poor for rectal leiomyosarcoma.