Intravenous leiomyomatosis with cardiac extension: tumor thrombectomy through an abdominal approach

Right atrial tumor revealing intravascular leiomyomatosis: about a case and literature review

Intravascular leiomyomatosis (IVL) is a very rare extension of uterine leiomyoma through the pelvic vessels. It is a benign pathology with malignant potential with a possibility of intra-cardiac extension and metastases (cerebral, pulmonary, lymph node); early diagnosis is very difficult. Prognosis depends on involvement of the inferior vena cava and extension to the right cavities. We report a case of complications of IVL, precisely the extension in the right atrium, in a 49-year-old woman. The objective of our work is to highlight the importance of imaging in the diagnosis of the vascular extension of leimyomatosis.

Woman in Her 50s With an Intravenous Mass Extending to the Right Cardiac Chamber

This case report describes a diagnosis of intravenous leiomyomatosis in a woman in her 50s who presented with exertional dyspnea and syncope and had a history of hysteromyomectomy.

Diagnostic experience of intravenous leiomyomatosis with emphasis on conventional ultrasonography imaging: a single-center study

Objective

Intravenous leiomyomatosis (IVL) is a rare and aggressive tumor type that has the potential to extend into the inferior vena cava (IVC) and is susceptible to be misdiagnosed and neglected. Despite its clinical significance, there is a paucity of research that has focused on the specific manifestations of IVL on ultrasonography. Therefore, this study aims to systematically analyze the specific ultrasound features of IVL and augment its diagnostic accuracy.

Materials and method

Prospective inclusion was granted to patients admitted to our hospital between December 2016 and March 2021 for an IVC-occupying lesion. Multi-modal ultrasonography, encompassing gray-scale and color Doppler, was conducted. Lesions were categorized as IVL or non-IVL based on pathological or follow-up data. Two ultrasound sonographers with over 5 years of experience read and recorded ultrasound data for all lesions, which were subsequently comparatively analyzed to identify specific signs of IVL.

Results

A total of 284 patients diagnosed with IVC-occupying lesions were included in the study. The lesion types comprised of IVL (n=67, 23.6%), IVC thrombus (n=135, 47.5%), tumor thrombus of renal carcinoma involving the IVC (n=35, 12.4%), tumor thrombus of liver carcinoma involving the IVC (n=24, 8.5%), leiomyosarcoma of the IVC (n=14, 4.9%), and tumor thrombus of adrenocortical adenocarcinoma (n=9, 4.1%). The presence of "sieve hole" and "multi-track" signs was observed in 20 IVL lesions under the grey-scale modality, while both signs were absent in the non-IVL group (P<0.01). The study found no statistically significant differences in the presentation of "sieve hole" and "multi-track" signs under the grey-scale and color Doppler modalities in cases of intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) (P>0.05). Using these two signs as diagnostic criteria for IVL, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), miss rate, misdiagnosis rate, and accuracy were determined to be 29.9%, 100%, 100%, 82.2%, 70.1%, 0, and 83.5%, respectively (AUC ROC=0.649; 95%CI: 0.537-0.761).

Conclusion

IVL exhibits distinct ultrasound presentations, including "sieve hole" and "multi-track" signs, which demonstrate high specificity and accuracy as diagnostic indicators. Furthermore, these signs are corroborated by pathological evidence and effectively distinguish IVL from other lesions occupying the IVC.

Case report: Cardiac metastatic uterine intravenous leiomyomatosis excision with extracorporeal venous shunt under the guidance of 3-dimensional printing

Intravenous leiomyomatosis (IVL) is relatively rare, and the incidence of cardiac IVL is even lower. The case report introduces a 48-year-old woman with two episodes of syncope in 2021. Echocardiography showed a cord-like mass in the inferior vena cava (IVC), right atrium (RA), right ventricle (RV) and pulmonary artery. Computed tomography venography and magnetic resonance imaging showed strips in RA, RV, IVC, right common iliac vein, and internal iliac vein, as well as a round-like mass in the right uterine adnexa. Combined with the patient's prior surgical history and rare anatomical structures, surgeons used cardiovascular 3-dimensional (3D) printing technology to create patient-specific preoperative 3D printed model. The model could help surgeons to visually and accurately understand the size of IVL and its relationship to adjacent tissues. Finally, surgeons successfully performed a concurrent transabdominal resection of cardiac metastatic IVL and adnexal hysterectomy with off-cardiopulmonary bypass. Preoperative evaluation and guidance of 3D printing may play a critical role to ensure this surgery for the patient with rare anatomical structures and high surgical risk. Clinical Trial Registration: [ClinicalTrials.gov], Protocol Registration System [NCT02917980].

Clinical features and prognostic factors analysis of intravenous leiomyomatosis

Background

The treatment and prognostic factors of intravenous leiomyomatosis (IVL) remain lacking systematic evidence.

Methods

A retrospective study was conducted on IVL patients from the Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, and IVL cases were published in PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane Library databases. Descriptive statistics were used for the basic characteristics of patients. The Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to assess the high-risk factors related to the progression-free survival (PFS). The comparison of survival curves was performed by Kaplan-Meier analysis.

Results

A total of 361 IVL patients were included in this study, 38 patients from Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, and 323 patients from the published literature. Age ≤45 years was observed in 173 (47.9%) patients. According to the clinical staging criteria, stage I/II was observed in 125 (34.6%) patients, and stage III/IV was observed in 221 (61.2%) patients. Dyspnea, orthopnea, and cough were observed in 108 (29.9%) patients. Completed tumor resection was observed in 216 (59.8%) patients, and uncompleted tumor resection was observed in 58 (16.1%) patients. Median follow-up period was 12 months (range 0-194 months), and 68 (18.8%) recurrences or deaths were identified. The adjusted multivariable Cox proportional hazard analysis showed age ≤45 years (vs. >45) (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.09, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.15-3.80, p = 0.016), and uncompleted tumor resection (vs. completed tumor resection) (HR = 22.03, 95% CI 8.31-58.36, p < 0.001) were high-risk factors related to the PFS.

Conclusion

Patients with IVL have a high probability of recurrence after surgery and a poor prognosis. Patients younger than 45 years and with uncompleted tumor resection are at higher risk of postoperative recurrence or death.

One-stage resection of intravascular leiomyomatosis involving the right heart chamber through a single laparotomy

OBJECTIVES

This retrospective study aimed to summarize the feasibility and experience of utilizing a one-stage operation via single laparotomy to treat intracardiac leiomyomatosis (ICL).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective study of 13 patients with ICL who underwent one-stage resections was conducted at Peking Union Medical College Hospital from June 2015 to December 2021. All patients had their tumors removed by single laparotomy and were divided into a short venotomy group (6 cases) and an extensive venotomy group (7 cases). We reviewed the patient characteristics, surgical procedures, postoperative pathology, and perioperative and follow-up outcomes of all patients.

RESULTS

All patients underwent surgery for ICL resection using single laparotomy with a 100% success rate. Two patients had tumors distal to the right ventricle (RV), 2 patients had tumors that protruded into the RV in diastole and were confined to the right atrium (RA) in systole, and the other 9 patients had tumors confined to the RA that did not involve the tricuspid valve. The tumor was completely resected in 10 patients, yet 3 patients had a residual tumor. Six patients completed the surgery with short venotomy, 7 completed the surgery with extensive venotomy, and 9 underwent simultaneous total hysterectomy and bilateral adnexal resection. The mean operative time was 370.8 ± 111.0 min, and the mean blood loss was 992.3 ± 994.5 mL. Intraoperative blood loss was lower (483.3 ± 213.7 ml vs. 1429.2 ± 1208.0 ml; P = 0.020) and operative time was shorter (286.5 ± 71.9 min vs. 443.1 ± 84.4 min; P=0.004) in the short venotomy group than in the extensive venotomy group. At a mean follow-up of 26.3 ± 18.8 months, 1 patient had a local recurrence in the pelvis, and 1 patient died of pancreatic cancer, while the remaining patients had no recurrence during follow-up.

CONCLUSION

One-stage resection of ICL patients by means of a single laparotomy is feasible and effective.

Intravascular leiomyomatosis: a continuing diagnostic challenge

We report the case of a woman in her 60s with intravascular leiomyomatosis. She suffered from numerous non-specific symptoms including weight loss, anaemia and sudden swelling of the left lower extremity. CT imaging showed the presence of an enlarged left ovary and a thrombus extending from the left ovarian venous plexus intruding into the right atrium of the heart. Cancer antigen 125 was 20 U/mL. Pelvic transvaginal ultrasound examination identified two normal ovaries and a mass adjacent to the left ovary. A second opinion on the CT scan was requested at a oncogynaecological multidisciplinary team meeting, where the radiologist of the team identified an intervascular leiomyomatosis. After further investigation, surgical treatment was planned and completed in collaboration with the departments of cardiothoracic and vascular surgery. The patient recovered fully.

Benign Metastasizing Leiomyomatosis to the Skin and Lungs, Intravenous Leiomyomatosis, and Leiomyomatosis Peritonealis Disseminata: A Series of Five Cases

Benign metastasizing leiomyomatosis (BML) is a rare disease that typically occurs in women with a history of uterine leiomyomatosis. Benign metastasizing leiomyomatosis occurs more frequently in the lungs but may also develop in other organs and tissues. Other unusual variants of extra-uterine leiomyomatosis include intravenous leiomyomatosis (IVL) and leiomyomatosis peritonealis disseminata (LPD). In this article, three cases of BML are presented. One case, in a premenopausal woman, presented cutaneous metastases. We also present a case of IVL and a case of LPD, which occurred in postmenopausal women. Given the rarity of BML, IVL, and LPD, the authors reviewed the literature and herein discuss the implications for treatment in all five cases. Evidence for treating BML, IVL, and LPD is still scarce, and data available from our series and other small series seem to point to the patient’s hormonal status playing a fundamental part in the treatment plan. Furthermore, a collecting bag when performing excision of uterine leiomyomas may help avoid the potential spreading of leiomyomatosis. Hysterectomized patients with chronic cough, frequent respiratory infections, abdominal discomfort, right heart failure, or non-specific symptoms should be actively screened for BML, IVL, and LPD. Treatment should be individualized according to each patient’s hormonal status and desires.

Intravascular leiomyomatosis with cardiac extension: a case report

BACKGROUND

Intravascular leiomyomatosis (IVL) with intracardiac extension is a rare benign tumour seen exclusively in women, characterized by proliferation of uterine smooth muscle cells through the venous circulation into the inferior vena cava (IVC) and the right heart chambers.

CASE SUMMARY

A 47 years old women with history of previous hysterectomy due to myomatosis, presented with nausea, anorexia, and bilateral lower limb swelling over the preceding 2 months. An outpatient abdominal ultrasound discovered a mass in the IVC. Echocardiogram and computed tomography demonstrated a large intravascular mass extending from the pelvis to the right heart chambers. The tumour was completely removed in a concomitant open-heart surgery and laparotomy. Post-operative course was uncomplicated. A month later, the patient was feeling well and in good clinical condition. The histological analysis consisted with IVL.

DISCUSSION

Intracardiac leiomyomatosis is a rare clinical condition which requires high index of suspicion. Multimodality imaging is usually required to establish the preoperative diagnosis, although the final diagnosis is achieved with tissue investigation. Complete surgical resection of the tumour is curative and associated with good long-term prognosis.

The role of estrogen deprivation therapy in premenopausal women with primary unresectable intracardiac leiomyomatosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Intracardiac leiomyomatosis (ICLM) is a rare life-threatening form of intravenous leiomyomatosis (IVLM). The incomplete resection and recurrence are associated with high morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study is to identify that whether estrogen deprivation therapies, including bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO)-based surgery and gonadotrophin releasing hormone agonists (GnRHa) administration, could bring benefits to patients with primary unresectable ICLM.

METHODS

PubMed/MEDLINE (Ovid) was searched (up to May 2021) for studies reporting individual patient data on demographics, clinicopathological features, treatment, and follow-up information. Exclusion criteria were patients who may have been included in two or more publications. This study was performed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.

RESULTS

A total of 114 patients from 70 papers were included. Several reports showed that the tumor in the right atrium and inferior vena cava shrank dramatically after BSO-based surgery, or GnRHa administrated preoperatively in premenopausal women. The rate of complete resection was 64.04% in patients with ICLM, which was 85.25% in no/slight adhesion and no pulmonary nodules group, while 22.22% in firm/extensive adhesion and/or pulmonary nodules group (p < 0.0001). Meanwhile, the recurrence rates in patients with complete resection and incomplete resection were 4.29% and 37.84% respectively (p < 0.0001). Furthermore, complete resection with BSO had the lowest recurrence rate of 3.13%, incomplete resection with BSO had a progression rate of 45.45%, while incomplete resection with ovarian preservation had the highest progression rate of 75.00%.

CONCLUSIONS

The recurrence rate of ICLM was closely related to firm/extensive adhesion in IVC or above, and/or pulmonary nodules. BSO-based surgery might reduce the recurrence rate no matter ICLM could be completely resected or not. In addition, estrogen deprivation therapies could decrease tumor burden as a primary treatment, and further make a secondary complete resection feasible in premenopausal women with initially unresectable ICLM.

Intravenous leiomyomatosis: Case series and review of the literature

Background

We retrospectively reviewed the data of three patients with intravenous leiomyomatosis (IVL), one of whom had intracardiac leiomyomatosis, and analyzed their clinical symptoms, preoperative assessment findings, operative approaches, and recurrence.

Case presentation: The present study describes three cases of IVL extending into the inferior vena cava, even as far as the right atrium and ventricle, and discusses the imaging findings and differential diagnosis of this tumor entity. The three patients, two of whom were diagnosed during the first operation and one of whom had a giant pelvic mass, were surgically treated with complete tumor resection, hysterectomy, and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. The pathological examination findings were suggestive of IVL. The duration of time from the first myomectomy or hysterectomy to IVL occurrence ranged from 2 to 18 months. No signs of recurrence were observed during follow-up. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging played a vital role in the diagnostic process and presurgical assessment.

Conclusion

In clinical practice, IVL should be considered before surgery for a broad ligament myoma or giant pelvic mass. Surgery should always aim for complete tumor excision and include hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Vascular reconstruction computed tomography is a good choice for diagnosis and follow-up.

Surgical Strategy for Intravenous Cardiac Leiomyomatosis

Intravenous-cardiac leiomyomatosis (IVCL) is a rare, histologically benign but biologically aggressive tumour. Accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment choices are important for prognosis. The best surgical approach remains unclear owing to limited evidence. This study aimed to assess surgical strategies for treating IVCL and to propose individualised surgical strategies. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library to identify case reports and case series published in English over the last 10 years. Two (2) reviewers independently screened the literature according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and subsequently extracted data. One hundred and ten (110) cases were included. According to our analysis, IV cardiac leiomyomatosis is most common in the fifth decade, and the mean age at detection is 45.71±7.67 years. Most patients had undergone previous hysterectomy/myomectomy, or had a co-existing uterine leiomyoma when admitted. The most common clinical presentations were dyspnoea, palpitation, pelvic mass, and leg oedema. More patients benefited more from one-stage surgery. Seventy-eight per cent (78%) of cases experienced a surgical approach of thoracic and abdominal incisions. Extractions of IVCL were varied. Eighty-seven (87) patients experienced cardiopulmonary bypass and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest was performed on 64.4% of them. Total hysterectomy and bilateral oophorectomy, together with pelvic leiomyoma excision, were done in 76.0% of patients. Overall, surgical strategies for IVCL are varied; the optimal strategy required consideration of multiple factors. Complete resection is recommended for both single- and two-stage operations. Once complete resection is achieved, recurrence is rare.

Surgical treatment strategies for extra-pelvic intravenous leiomyomatosis

BACKGROUND

Extra-pelvic intravenous leiomyomatosis (IVL) extending into inferior vena cava (IVC) or heart (i.e. intracardiac leiomyomatosis, ICL) is an extremely rare benign disease. No consensus has been reached on the optimal surgical strategy. The aim of this study is to introduce four types of one-stage surgical strategies including less invasive options and a guideline to select patient-specific strategy for this disease.

METHODS

Twenty-four patients of extra-pelvic IVLs receiving one-stage resections at the Zhongshan Hospital from July 2011 to November 2019 were reviewed retrospectively. Base on the initial experiences of the indiscriminate choices of tumor thrombectomies through sterno-laparotomy under cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in 6 ICLs, an anatomy-based guideline for four types of surgical strategies was developed and applied for the next 18 patients.

RESULTS

Under the direction of guideline, tumor thrombectomies through single laparotomy were applied without CPB in 2 ICLs and 4 IVLs confined in IVC, or with CPB in 7 ICLs. Guideline-directed double-incisions with CPB were applied in only 5 ICLs, including 1 receiving mini-thoracotomy and 4 receiving sternotomy because of tumor adherences with right atriums in 2 and with pulmonary arteries in 2. All 24 patients accomplished one-stage panhysterectomy, bilateral adnexectomy and complete resections of intracaval and intracardiac tumors. For residual pelvic intravenous tumors in 19 patients, 17 received macroscopically complete resections while the other 2 failed because of high risk of hemorrhage. Intraoperative blood losses, operation time and hospitalization expense in the single-laparotomy non-CPB group were significantly lesser than the other groups. In CPB groups, inpatient stay and hospitalization expense in the single-incision group were significantly lesser than the double-incisions group. All patients were alive and free of recurrences during a mean follow-up of 35.4 ± 27.2 months (range, 1-100 months). The pelvic tumor residues in 2 patients remained unchanged for 51 and 52 months since operation, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

For various extra-pelvic IVLs, the 4 types of surgical strategies including less invasive options are feasible, providing these are selected by a guideline base on the tumor extension and morphology. The proposed guideline is believed to accommodate more patients receiving less invasive surgery without compromising the curative effect.

Intravenous Leiomyomatosis of the Uterus: A Retrospective Single-Center Study in 14 Cases

Purpose

This study aimed to retrospectively review the diagnosis and surgical treatment of uterine intravenous leiomyomatosis (IVL).

Methods

The clinical data of 14 patients with uterine IVL admitted to our hospital between 2013 and 2018 were retrospectively analyzed, including their demographics, imaging results, surgical procedures, perioperative complications, and follow-up results.

Results

The tumors were confined to the pelvic cavity in 7 patients, 1 into the inferior vena cava, 4 into the right atrium, and 2 into the pulmonary artery (including 1 into the superior vena cava). Only one case was misdiagnosed as right atrial myxoma before the operation, which was found during the surgery and was treated by staging surgery; all the other patients underwent one-stage surgical resection. Three patients underwent complete resection of the right atrial tumor through the abdominal incision, and one patient died of heart failure in the process of resection of heart tumor without abdominal surgery. During the 6–60 months of follow-up, 4 patients developed deep venous thrombosis of the lower extremity, and 1 patient developed ovarian vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. After anticoagulation treatment, the symptoms disappeared. One patient refused hysterectomy and the uterine fibroids recurred 4 years after the operation.

Conclusion

Specific surgical plans for uterine IVL can be formulated according to cardiac ultrasound and computed tomography (CT). For the first type of tumor involving the right atrium, the right atrium tumor can be completely removed through the abdominal incision alone to avoid thoracotomy. The disease is at high risk of thrombosis and perioperative routine anticoagulation is required.

Surgical treatment of intravenous leiomyomatosis involving the right heart: a case series

Objective

This study was performed to investigate the surgical treatment of intravenous leiomyomatosis involving the right heart.

Methods

The clinical data of five patients with intracardiac leiomyomatosis treated from April 2002 to October 2017 at a single center were retrospectively analyzed.

Results

All five patients underwent successful intravenous and right atrial tumor removal via abdominal and inferior vena cava incisions. In three patients, these incisions were combined with thoracotomy and a right atrial incision, and in two patients, they were combined with uterine and bilateral fallopian tube and ovarian resection. One patient with advanced disease underwent a one-stage procedure and died thereafter. Of the remaining four patients who underwent follow-up for 1.5 to 12.0 years, one developed recurrence at 1 year postoperatively. The recurrent tumor, which was pathologically confirmed to be an intravenous leiomyoma, was removed via inferior vena cava and internal iliac vein incisions without subsequent recurrence.

Conclusions

The main treatment goal for inferior vena cava leiomyomas involving the right heart is to first address the severe obstruction of cardiac blood flow and then pursue second-stage surgery. Concurrent thoracotomy appears unnecessary because moderately sized right heart tumors can be gently removed via the inferior vena cava.

[Extra uterine leiomyomatosis: Review of the literature]

Extra-uterine leiomyomatosis is a rare pathology defined by the presence of benign smooth uterine muscle cells in unusual localizations, including different entities. It mainly affects premenopausal women with a medical history of uterine myoma with or without surgical treatment. Three main types are discribed: intraveinous leiomyomatosis, benign metastatisizing leiomyoma and leiomyomatosis peritonealis disseminata. The diagnosis may be complex with many differential diagnosis, and relies on histology. The treatment depends on multiple factors such as age, localization, size, symptoms and associated comorbidities. It is based on surgical resection and hormonal privation, surgical (adnexectomy) or medical (hormonotherapy). There is a high risk of recurrence. Some malignant evolutions have been reported, mostly leiomyosarcoma following peritoneal disseminated leiomyomatosis. Long term follow-up of these patients is mandatory. A particular manifestation of extra-uterine leiomyomatosis is the hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell carcinoma (HLRCC) syndrome. It is an autosomal dominant disorder which confers an increased risk of cutaneous and uterine leiomyomas and renal cell cancer, with a poor prognosis due to the urologic tumor.

Oncovascular Surgery: Essential Roles of Vascular Surgeons in Cancer Surgery

For the modern practice of cancer surgery, the concept of oncovascular surgery (OVS), defined as cancer resection with concurrent ligation or reconstruction of a major vascular structure, can be very important. OVS for advanced cancers requires specialized procedures performed by a specialized multidisciplinary team. Roles of oncovascular surgeons are summarized as: a primary surgeon in vesselorigin tumors, a rescue surgeon treating complications during cancer surgery, and a consultant surgeon as a multidisciplinary team for cancer surgery. Vascular surgeons must show leadership in cancer surgery in cases of complex advanced diseases, such as angiosarcoma, leiomyosarcoma, intravenous leiomyomatosis, retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcoma, iatrogenic injury of the major vessels during cancer surgery, pancreatic cancer with vascular invasion, extremity soft tissue sarcoma, melanoma and others.

Surgical treatment for intravenous-cardiac leiomyomatosis

OBJECTIVES

There are few published studies on the rare disorder of intravenous-cardiac leiomyomatosis (IVCL). This study aimed to propose an individualized strategy for surgical treatment of IVCL.

METHODS

In this retrospective study, we reviewed 50 patients who had undergone IVCL removal from November 2002 to October 2017 in our hospital. IVCL was classified as Type A-E according to the extent and size, with Type E being the most severe. Clinical manifestations, surgical features and follow-up data were analysed.

RESULTS

Of the 50 patients in this series, 8 had Type A IVCL, 8 Type B, 29 Type C, 2 Type D and 3 Type E IVCL. One-stage removal of IVCL was performed via laparotomy without cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in the 8 patients with Type A, 1-stage tumour resection via sternolaparotomy under deep hypothermic arrest in 7 of the 8 patients with Type B and IVCL removal via sternolaparotomy under CPB, with 27 also under deep hypothermic arrest, in all 29 patients with Type C. Sixteen of the patients with Type C IVCL underwent staged procedures, 13 a 1-stage procedure and 21 required hepatic mobilization. All patients with Type C or E cases underwent 1-stage tumour removal via sternolaparotomy under deep hypothermic arrest. All 50 patients survived surgery. IVCL was confirmed postoperatively by histology. Ten patients had residual tumours; 9 of which did not progress. No deaths occurred during 47.8 ± 38.4 (range 1-177) months of follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

The only known curative treatment for IVCL is surgery. Herein, we present an individualized strategy for selecting surgical treatment.

Identification of the molecular relationship between intravenous leiomyomatosis and uterine myoma using RNA sequencing

The purpose of this study was to explore the potential relationship between intravenous leiomyomatosis (IVL) and uterine myoma (UM) at the molecular level. RNA-sequencing was performed on IVL tumours, UM tumours, and adjacent normal uterine muscle. We compared the gene expression levels between IVL and normal uterine muscle, UM and normal uterine muscle, to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Then we used Gene Ontology Enrichment Analysis to determine the functions of the DEGs and performed specimen cluster analysis. We obtained 98 DEGs between IVL and adjacent normal uterine muscle, and 61 DEGs between UM and adjacent normal uterine muscle. Functional enrichment of both IVL and UM DEGs showed that they are associated with hormone stimulus, extracellular matrix, and cell adhesion. Unsupervised clustering analysis showed that IVL and UM could not be separated completely. Among these dysregulated genes, we found that HOXA13 showed a distinct dysregulated status between IVL and UM. HOXA13 may therefore serves as a biomarker to distinguish IVL and UM. Our results showed that IVL and UM may have similar dysregulated gene networks. They may be closely related, and HOXA13 may serves as a biomarker to distinguish between IVL and UM.

Primary leiomyoma of the inferior vena cava mimicking a cystic neoplasm of the pancreas: a case report

Benign smooth muscle tumors of the inferior vena cava (IVC) are unusual, but mostly consist of intravenous leiomyomatosis, which arises from the uterus. Primary leiomyoma of the IVC is extremely rare. Here, we report a primary leiomyoma of the IVC, misleadingly reported as a cystic neoplasm of the pancreas in images. Immunohistochemical analysis was positive for (estrogen receptor) ER and (progesterone receptor) PR, indicating gynecologic leiomyomas. The use of ER and PR immunostaining is recommended to help distinguish between somatic and gynecologic leiomyomas, whose criteria of malignancy differ.

Perioperative management of intracardiac leiomyomatosis: An observational cohort study

Intracardiac leiomyomatosis (ICLM) is a rare condition in which the benign tumor extends into the right heart chambers through inferior vena cava. The best surgical approach still remains unclear.We present a retrospective cohort of 36 patients diagnosed with ICLM in Peking Union Medical College Hospital between 2002 and 2016.The mean patient age was 44.5 (range 25-55) years. The clinical manifestations were various, including shortness of breath, chest tightness, edema of the lower extremities, palpitations, syncope, etc. Cardiac function of 30 patients (80%) remained mildly influenced, classified as New York Heart Association (NYHA) I-II. After careful preoperative evaluation, 19 patients underwent 1-stage operation while the other 17 patients underwent 2-stage operations. The original surgical plans were changed in 5 patients (14%) due to intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) monitoring, with the tumor directly extracted through abdominal approach or right atrium without cardiopulmonary bypass and/or deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. Complete resection was achieved in 32 patients (89%). Despite increased volume of blood loss (P < .05), patients undergoing 1-stage operation had significantly shorter operation time, anesthesia time as well as hospital length of stay (P < .05), compared with 2-stage operations. The postoperative complication rates were not different between the 2 groups (P = .684). During mean follow-up time of 36.1 months, recurrence occurred in 7 patients (23%) but all are survived.Precise and full-scale preoperative evaluation of both the tumor anatomy and the patient's tolerability to the surgery should be performed. TEE plays a crucial role in guidance of surgical decision making, and 1-stage extraction of tumor through either abdominal approach or right atrium may be possible.

A Novel Diagnostic Strategy Using 16α-[18F]-Fluoro-17-β-Estradiol (18F-FES) PET/MRI to Achieve Complete Resection of Intravenous Leiomyomatosis in Reproductive-Age Women

Intravenous leiomyomatosis is a life-threatening leiomyoma that grows into the extrauterine venous system. A high recurrence rate has been reported in reproductive-age women who undergo only tumor excision to preserve fertility. Precise diagnosis of tumor extension is essential to achieve complete resection. A 24-year-old woman presented with hypermenorrhea. Contrast-enhanced MRI showed an intramural myoma with worm-like extension into the right parametrium. F-FES PET/MRI accurately depicted the extension with strong FES activity into the right uterine vein, whereas F-FDG PET/MRI excluded the possibility of malignancy. These modalities can be a novel strategy to manage such cases of intractable intravenous leiomyomatosis.

Clinical characteristics and prognostic features of intravenous leiomyomatosis with inferior vena cava or intracardiac extension. J Vasc Surg Venous Lymphat Disord. 2017;5:485-492. [PMID: 28623982 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvsv.2016.12.015]

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to explore the clinical characteristics and prognostic features of intravenous leiomyomatosis (IVL) with inferior vena cava extension (IVCE) or intracardiac extension (ICE).

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was conducted of the clinical data of 38 patients with pathologically diagnosed IVL with IVCE or ICE.

RESULTS

The mean age of the patients was 44.05 ± 6.31 years. Twenty-two patients (57.9%) had a history of uterine leiomyoma. Nine patients (23.7%) had a history of IVL without IVCE or ICE. The most common symptoms were chest tightness (seven patients), lower limb swelling (five patients), palpitation (four patients), dizziness (two patients), and abdominal distention (two patients). Preoperative diagnoses were achieved in 28 patients (73.7%); 23 patients (60.5%) underwent one-stage surgery, whereas 15 (39.5%) underwent two-stage surgery. Eighteen patients (72%) received postoperative antiestrogen hormone therapy. Regular follow-up was available in 30 patients, with a median follow-up time of 12.0 months; 15 patients (50.0%) showed evidence of recurrence. Factors such as postoperative antiestrogen hormone therapy (9/20 compared with 6/10; P = .601), duration of postoperative hormonal therapy (10/15 in >6 months compared with 5/15 in ≤6 months; P = .862), and heart involvement (10/22 compared with 5/8; P = .669) were not significantly associated with recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

IVL with IVCE or ICE is a rare disease with nonspecific manifestations. Surgery is the primary treatment. The postoperative recurrence rate is high, and postoperative antiestrogen hormone therapy is not significantly correlated with recurrence.

Different surgical strategies of patients with intravenous leiomyomatosis

Intravenous leiomyomatosis (IVL) is a rare benign tumor. The study aimed to assess outcomes of patients treated surgically for IVL.Between November 2002 and January 2015, 76 patients were treated for IVL. The stage of IVL was evaluated preoperatively by echocardiography and enhanced computerized tomography (CT) scan, and graded into 4 stages according to intravascular tumor progression. We recorded age, lower limb edema before surgery, surgical parameters, and hospitalization expenses. Patients were followed up every 6 months and tumor recurrence was assessed by CT and ultrasound. Patients were followed up for a mean of 4.5 ± 2.5 years (range 1-13 years) and there was no operative, hospital, or long-term mortality or were lost to follow-up.The rate of lower extremity edema, amount of blood loss, postoperative transfusion, length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay, postoperative hospitalization, and hospitalization expenses differed significantly between patients at different presurgery stages. Tumors recurred in 4 of 7 patients with stage I IVL that opted for surgery that preserved the ovaries and uterus. No recurrence was observed in patients graded stage II or more, in all of which the uterus and ovaries were removed. Recurrence was observed in only 4 of 76 cases of IVL, all of whom opted for surgery that spared the ovaries and uterus.Different surgical strategies should be decided based on the staging to completely remove the tumor and ensure the safety of patients. Removal of both ovaries is necessary for inhibiting tumor growth and avoiding recurrence.

Intravenous leiomyomatosis with intracardiac extension depicted on computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans: A report of two cases and a review of the literature

Intravenous leiomyomatosis (IVL) is defined as a benign smooth muscle tumor, growing within systemic veins. IVL with intracaval and intracardiac extension has rarely been reported in radiological and oncological journals. The present study describes 2 cases of IVL extending from the inferior vena cava to the right atrium and ventricle, and discusses the imaging findings and differential diagnosis of this tumor entity. The two patients, who complained of palpitations, shortness of breath or syncope, were surgically treated, with complete resection of the cardiac and intracaval tumors. Pathological examinations were suggestive of IVL. The postoperative course of the two patients was uneventful, and no signs of recurrence were observed on follow-up. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging played a vital role in the diagnostic process and presurgical assessment. The results of the present study indicate that IVL should be considered upon presentation of a soft mass in systemic veins, even when the mass extends to the right cardiac chambers, in female patients, particularly in patients with a history of uterine myoma.

Intravenous leiomyomatosis disguised as a large deep vein thrombosis

Intravenous leiomyomatosis is a benign smooth muscle tumor which despite its histology can have devastating consequences. Furthermore, the clinical manifestations are variable and nonspecific, typically leading to delayed or missed diagnosis. Thus, it is critical for clinicians to be aware of this condition and have a high index of suspicion in a middle-aged woman with a history of uterine leiomyoma presenting with an inferior vena cava mass to enable early diagnosis and treatment. We report a case of a large intravenous leiomyoma which was initially considered to be a very large deep venous thrombosis; with thorough preoperative planning, it was successfully removed intact and in entirety with a single-stage operation.

Uterine Intravenous Leiomyomatosis with Intracardiac Extension and Pulmonary Benign Metastases on FDG PET/CT: A Case Report

A 48-year-old woman presented with a 50-day history of irregular vaginal bleeding and lower abdominal pain. Ultrasound indicated an extremely large occupying lesion in the pelvic cavity that was highly suggestive of malignancy. Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) was performed to further assess the nature of pelvic abnormality. PET/CT images demonstrated a diffusely lobulated mass ranging from cervix up to the inferior pole of kidneys with mild FDG uptake. Simultaneously, multiple nodules in bilateral lungs and a hypodense lesion in the right ventricle were shown without FDG-avidity. Based on the imaging results, the presumptive diagnosis was uterine intravenous leiomyomatosis with intracardiac extension and pulmonary benign metastases, which was subsequently confirmed by MRI and the lesion biopsy.

Computerized tomography angiography in preoperative assessment of intravenous leiomyomatosis extending to inferior vena cava and heart

BACKGROUND

Intravenous leiomyomatosis (IVL) extending to inferior vena cava and heart is one of the most challenging conditions for surgical treatment. We explored the use of computerized tomography angiography (CTA) in preoperative assessment for this disease.

METHODS

A cohort of 31 patients with IVL extending to inferior vena cava and heart were reviewed from the year 2002 to 2014, focusing on the preoperative CTA imaging characteristics and the surgical procedures in clinical treatment.

RESULTS

All patients were diagnosed correctly combining the clinical medical history and CTA imaging. Thirteen patients had tumors confined within the inferior vena cava, and 18 patients had tumors intruding into the right heart. Furthermore, 15 tumors were located in the right atrium alone, and 3 tumors involved both the right atrium and the right ventricle. All patients had simple or multiple soft tissue masses from the pelvis, with 22 tumors extending into inferior vena cava through the iliac veins and 9 tumors through the ovarian veins. Three patients had tumors invading into lung and underwent tumor thrombus resection in the pulmonary artery. Patients received either one-stage surgery or two-stage surgery dependent on patient general condition and tumor status. All operations were successfully performed by multidisciplinary cooperation, including gynecology, cardiac surgery, and vascular surgery, without severe surgical-related complications or deaths.

CONCLUSIONS

CTA imaging can present location, size, and full-scale extension pathway of IVL lesions, and can be used as first-line imaging technique in preoperative assessment, having great significance in making surgical plan and obtaining successful outcome.

Treatment of Intravenous Leiomyomatosis with Cardiac Extension following Incomplete Resection

Aim. Intravenous leiomyomatosis (IVL) with cardiac extension (CE) is a rare variant of benign uterine leiomyoma. Incomplete resection has a recurrence rate of over 30%. Different hormonal treatments have been described following incomplete resection; however no standard therapy currently exists. We review the literature for medical treatments options following incomplete resection of IVL with CE. Methods. Electronic databases were searched for all studies reporting IVL with CE. These studies were then searched for reports of patients with inoperable or incomplete resection and any further medical treatments. Our database was searched for patients with medical therapy following incomplete resection of IVL with CE and their results were included. Results. All studies were either case reports or case series. Five literature reviews confirm that surgery is the only treatment to achieve cure. The uses of progesterone, estrogen modulation, gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonism, and aromatase inhibition have been described following incomplete resection. Currently no studies have reviewed the outcomes of these treatments. Conclusions. Complete surgical resection is the only means of cure for IVL with CE, while multiple hormonal therapies have been used with varying results following incomplete resection. Aromatase inhibitors are the only reported treatment to prevent tumor progression or recurrence in patients with incompletely resected IVL with CE.

[Intravascular leiomyomatosis]

Intravenous leiomyomatosis is a rare disease from a group of tumors with the indefinite grading potential. The paper describes two cases of intravenous leiomyomatosis with its detailed morphological pattern, molecular genetic findings, and a brief literature review. Losses of heterozygosity of microsatellite repeats thatwere located on chromosome 10 in 10q22.1 and common in uterine leiomyosarcomas were found in both cases. Investigations of the morphological and biological characteristics of leimyomatosis are important to clarify the key molecular mechanisms underlying the development of this nosological entity and to determine etiopathogenetic relationships between intravenous leiomyomatosis and other uterine smooth muscle neoplasms.

Uterine Intravenous Leiomyomatosis with Cardiac Extension: Radiologic Assessment with Surgical and Pathologic Correlation

We present the computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings of a 71-year-old woman with a cardiac extension of intravenous leiomyoma (IVL) that arose from the uterus, extended to the inferior vena cava (IVC), and reached the right ventricle through the right ovarian vein. Radiologic-pathologic correlation showed that the intravascular cord-like mass originating from the IVC and extending to the right ventricle was composed of degenerated smooth muscle cells with a number of large vessels that were regarded as arteries; moreover, the arteries within the cord-like mass appeared to be looping internally. Given the disappearance of the right ovarian venous wall around the IVL pathologically, extracting the tumor from the ovarian vein during an operation is considered to be impossible retrospectively. Also it was difficult to identify even the intravenous extension of the uterine leiomyoma histopathologically. Therefore, contrast-enhanced CT, in particular arterial phase imaging, provided important information that revealed the mass, range, and path of the lesion, ensuring that an appropriate operative plan could be drawn up and the tumor completely excised.

Intravenous leiomyoma with extension to the heart: a case report and review of the literature

Introduction. Intravenous leiomyomatosis with cardiac extension is an extremely rare uterine tumor. We report here a case of intravenous leiomyoma extending to the right atrium, diagnosed in a patient having leiomyoma. Case Presentation. A 39-year-old woman with no symptoms and a past medical history of two myomectomy operations (7 and 3 years previously) was admitted to our clinic for routine control. We detected a uterine fibroid of 8 centimeters and 4 small solid masses of 1-2 centimeters near the uterus and ovaries at vaginal ultrasonography. Computed tomography (CT) was performed to investigate the abdominal cavity. It revealed a mass originating from the left common iliac vein, which invaded the inferior vena cava (IVC) and extended to the right atrium in addition to the uterine fibroids and pelvic masses. The operation was performed with a combined team of gynecologists and cardiac surgeons and a one-stage operation was accomplished. The postoperative course was uneventful. Conclusion. Abdominal CT is a useful imaging technique for the diagnosis of unusual pathology in a patient with uterine fibroid having suspicious pelvic masses. Also, when a right atrial mass is identified in a female with a prior history of hysterectomy because of leiomyoma or in whom there is a uterine myoma, then intravenous leiomyomatosis should be considered.

Intravenous leiomyomatosis with intracardiac extension - a review of diagnosis and management with an illustrative case

Intravenous leiomyomatosis with intracardiac extension is an uncommon pathologic progression of uterine leiomyomata. It is a histologically benign condition, however due to interfence with right sided cardiac function patients may present with marked cardiovascular compromise and present a diagnostic dilemma to clinicians who are unfamiliar with this condition. Given the rarity of this condition, experience in individual institutions is usually limited to a few cases. We present an illustrative case and provide a review of the clinical presentation, preoperative assessment, operative approach, pathology and postoperative issues. The importance of a multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis and management is highlighted. Operative management aims to completely resect all tumour in the safest manner for the patient, most commonly via single or two stage operation. Where complete resection is achieved, recurrence appears to be a rare event.

Intracardiac leiomyomatosis: a comprehensive analysis of 194 cases

Intracardiac leiomyomatosis is rare but has been increasingly reported in recent years. Owing to its rarity, intracardiac leiomyomatosis has been reported only as isolated case reports and case series. This disorder is thought to be underestimated and easily overlooked in the clinic, while it is dangerous owing to the risk of sudden death caused by total outflow tract obstruction. We performed an electronic literature search for intracardiac leiomyomatosis and identified 194 cases that were reported in English from 1974 (the first reported case) to September 2012. Our aim is to provide a detailed and comprehensive review of the clinical presentation, diagnosis, histopathological characterization, treatment and prognosis of this disorder. According to our analysis, intracardiac leiomyomatosis is most common in the fifth decade, and the mean age of detection is ~50 years. Most patients had undergone previous hysterectomy/myomectomy or had a coexisting uterine leiomyoma when admitted. The most common clinical presentations were dyspnoea, syncope, oedema of the lower extremities and palpitation. Transoesophageal echocardiography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are helpful in the preoperative diagnosis and to guide the surgical management. Complete removal guarantees an excellent outcome, with no recurrence or postoperative death, while incomplete removal leads to recurrence in one-third of patients. Anti-oestrogen therapy is not imperative after incomplete removal owing to its inability to prevent recurrence.