Smooth muscle tumors in children

Abstract

C dren have been alleged to be different from those in adults.Such features in juvenile neoplasms include a more rapid rate of growth, marked radiosensitivity of lesions that are usually considered radioresistant and a decided difference in aggressiveness of the tumor depending on histologic type and location.l92,10,13In our opinion these concepts perhaps need to be qualified, particularly when considering a specific type of neoplasm.Since numerous types of neoplasms are, in general, more commonly encountered in adults than children, we present the Mayo Clinic's experiences with the rarely occurring benign and malignant neoplasms of smooth muscle of children.Such tumors in adults have been analyzed extensively and histologic criteria have been formulated to differentiate the benign from the malignant forms.395 ,6912 However, these criteria have not been reliable always.7~8 Difficulties in diagnosis, prob-Iems of treatment and the subsequent course of the tumors in children seen at this clinic will be presented. METHODSAll histories in the surgical and necropsy files of the Mayo Clinic of smooth muscle tumors which had their onset in patients before their sixteenth birthday were reviewed.A large group of tumors originally diagnosed as fibrosarcoma and occurring in chiIdren and young adults also were studied in search for additional cases.Gross specimens, when available, and histologic preparations of all sus- pected tumors were studied.Eighteen tumors (8 leiomyomas and 10 leiomyosarcomas, exclusive of leiomyoma cutis) were studied.T h e clinical manifestations and course of the 18 patients were correlated with the pathologic features of the tumor.Cases 1, 9, 14, 15 and From Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation, Rochester,