Bilateral adrenal leiomyosarcoma treated with multiple local therapies

Int J Clin Oncol. 2009 Aug;14(4):356-60. doi: 10.1007/s10147-008-0844-5. Epub 2009 Aug 25.

Abstract

A 62-year-old woman presented with right flank pain, and computed tomography (CT) showed bilateral adrenal tumors (right, 8 cm; left, 4 cm). There were no abnormal findings on physical examination, and adrenal hormone levels in serum and urine were within normal limits. Radiological studies showed a right adrenal tumor with intratumoral hemorrhage, a cystic tumor in the left adrenal gland, and no sign of distant metastasis. Because laboratory tests showed normal levels of adrenal hormones, we considered the tumors to be nonfunctioning adrenal tumors. The right adrenal tumor was surgically removed because it was thought to be malignant, and histological examination revealed that it was a leiomyosarcoma. Postoperative CT showed a pleural metastasis in the right chest wall. The patient received combination chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, vincristine, adriamycin, and dacarbazine. The metastasis was also treated with radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Because the left adrenal tumor grew rapidly despite two courses of the chemotherapy, it too was surgically removed. After the operation, metastasis in the right iliac bone was treated with RFA and radiotherapy. Positron emission tomography detected bilateral femoral metastases, and these were treated with radiotherapy in combination with a low dose of cisplatin. A liver metastasis and a small metastasis in the left kidney were treated with RFA and a metastasis in the pancreatic tail was removed surgically. Sixteen months after the right adrenalectomy, the patient died due to systemic spread of the disease. Multiple local treatments including RFA, radiotherapy, and resection were effective for the local control of metastatic lesions of adrenal leiomyosarcoma.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / pathology
  • Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Adrenalectomy*
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use*
  • Biopsy
  • Bone Neoplasms / secondary
  • Bone Neoplasms / therapy
  • Catheter Ablation*
  • Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Kidney Neoplasms / secondary
  • Kidney Neoplasms / therapy
  • Leiomyosarcoma / secondary
  • Leiomyosarcoma / therapy*
  • Liver Neoplasms / secondary
  • Liver Neoplasms / therapy
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / secondary
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / therapy
  • Pleural Neoplasms / secondary
  • Pleural Neoplasms / therapy
  • Positron-Emission Tomography
  • Radiotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Treatment Outcome