Importance of accurate preoperative diagnosis in the management of aggressive angiomyxoma: report of three cases and review of the literature

Abstract

Aggressive angiomyxoma is a benign but locally aggressive tumor that occurs mostly in young women. Because excision is often incomplete, the risk of local recurrence is high. This report describes differences in presentation and the importance of accurate preoperative diagnosis of this rare neoplasm. We describe three cases with different presentations. Two were initially misdiagnosed, and local recurrence necessitated reoperation. Accurate diagnosis in the third case was followed by complete excision, with no recurrence. Aggressive angiomyxoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of young women who present with a well-defined mass in the pelvic tissue. Accurate preoperative diagnosis should alert the surgeon to the need for wide excision, which is essential for prevention of local recurrence.