Leiomyosarcoma of the inferior vena cava: radical surgery without vascular reconstruction

Abstract

Leiomyosarcoma of the inferior vena cava (IVC) is a rare tumor of mesenchymal origin, occurring most frequently in middle-aged women. Insidious complaints delay diagnosis, prognosis is poor, and the only curative modality remains an aggressive surgical resection yielding clear margins of disease. Commonly, radical tumor excision mandates caval repair or reconstruction, with significant related morbidity and mortality. We present a case of a 50-year-old woman with a leiomyosarcoma arising from the lower segment of the IVC, managed by surgical en-bloc resection of the tumor and IVC segment without further caval repair or reconstruction. During 14 months of follow-up the patient is well, had not had any complications, and is disease free.