Primary vertebral leiomyosarcoma masquerading as a nerve sheath tumour

BMJ Case Rep. 2017 Mar 22:2017:bcr2016217602. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2016-217602.

Abstract

A 47-year-old woman presented with symptoms of low back pain and weakness in bilateral lower limbs. MRI of the spine revealed a mass arising from T11 vertebra involving neural foramina at bilateral T11-12 and right T10-11 levels with extension to the right paravertebral region. Suspecting a nerve sheath tumour, she underwent posterior spinal decompression, stabilisation and debulking, following which her neurological symptoms resolved. Histopathological and immunohistochemical evaluation revealed a leiomyosarcoma. A month later she developed sudden paraparesis and MRI revealed an increase in size of the tumour with cord compression and displacement. She underwent a repeat spinal decompression and debulking procedure after which she received adjuvant radiotherapy via volumetric modulated arc therapy, to a total dose of 45 Gy in 25 fractions over 5 weeks. MRI performed 2 months later revealed complete response and she is disease free for the past 5 months.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Decompression, Surgical
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Leiomyosarcoma / complications*
  • Leiomyosarcoma / diagnosis
  • Leiomyosarcoma / pathology
  • Leiomyosarcoma / surgery
  • Low Back Pain / etiology
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Middle Aged
  • Nerve Sheath Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Nerve Sheath Neoplasms / surgery
  • Radiotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Spinal Cord Compression / etiology
  • Spinal Neoplasms / complications*
  • Spinal Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Spinal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Spinal Neoplasms / surgery
  • Thoracic Vertebrae*