Recurrent vaginal epithelioid leiomyosarcoma; a case report from Botswana and review of the literature.

Abstract

Primary vaginal leiomyosarcoma is a rare gynecological malignancy. The clinical presentation is a benign looking well circumscribed mobile mass which might however occasionally present with distant metastases. Post treatment recurrence is common, and the clinical course is often unpredictable. Primary surgical management plus radiotherapy is the commonly practiced treatment of choice. We report a case of primary vaginal epithelioid leiomyosarcoma that recurred twice after local surgical resection. The patient subsequently underwent a total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy for a recurrent vaginal leiomyosarcoma. Histopathology of the vaginal mass revealed an epithelioid leiomyosarcoma of the vagina. She also received a course of adjuvant radiotherapy. The patient was free of recurrence at 3 year follow up. Vaginal mass must be evaluated with a high index of suspicion for malignancy. Local surgical resection alone is insufficient for primary vaginal leiomyosarcoma. Surgical resection with adjuvant radiotherapy offers better treatment outcomes with decreased risk of recurrence. Empirical oophorectomy in patients with completed family size might confer additional benefit in preventing disease recurrence in resource limited settings where testing for estrogen and progesterone receptor status of the tumour is unavailable. Due to the unpredictable course of the disease, lifelong patient follow-up is critical for better outcomes.