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Benign metastasising leiomyoma: a rare disease and a diagnostic challenge
  1. Mingyue Li1,
  2. Ai Xin Lee2,
  3. Wai Loong Wong1 and
  4. Kim Teng Tan3
  1. 1Obstetrics and Gynaecology, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore
  2. 2Ministry of Health Holdings Pte Ltd, Singapore
  3. 3O&G, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore
  1. Correspondence to Dr Mingyue Li; mingyue.li{at}mohh.com.sg

Abstract

Benign metastasising leiomyoma (BML) is a rare tumour characterised by extrauterine metastasis of histologically benign leiomyomas. We present a case of BML with pulmonary involvement. A 49-year-old woman presented with large pelviabdominal masses complicated by gross abdominal and lower limb swelling 6 years following open myomectomy. Preoperative CT imaging showed pelviabdominal masses and multiple bilateral pulmonary nodules. Initial impression was that of a stage 4 gynaecological malignancy. Palliative total hysterectomy bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy was performed. Histopathology confirmed benign uterine leiomyomas. Biopsy of pulmonary nodules showed benign leiomyomas, strongly positive for oestrogen and progesterone receptors. Definitive diagnosis of BML was made on histopathology and immunohistochemistry. The patient declined letrozole treatment as she had just undergone bilateral oophorectomy. She opted for conservative monitoring of her lung nodules. CT imaging 7 months postsurgery showed disease regression. She will require long-term surveillance scans to detect disease progression.

  • Obstetrics, gynaecology and fertility
  • Pathology

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Footnotes

  • Contributors ML drafted the manuscript, did extensive literature review on benign metastasising leiomyomas and did the references. AXL helped to revise the case report, helped with the literature search, write the cover letter. WLW managed the patient, obtained patient consent for the case report and edited the report. KTT was the overall supervisor, suggested to write the manuscript and planned and did the final editing of the manuscript.

  • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

  • Case reports provide a valuable learning resource for the scientific community and can indicate areas of interest for future research. They should not be used in isolation to guide treatment choices or public health policy.

  • Competing interests None declared.

  • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.