Abstract
A case of cellular leiomyoma of the stomach was reported. The patient was a 66-year-old female who was admitted to our hospital for endoscopic examination of the stomach as a minute examination of mass survey by fluoroscopic examination of the stomach. Endoscopy revealed an chicken egg-sized submucosal tumor with a couple of bridging folds in the upper gastric corpus, but histological study of biopsy specimens taken from it revealed no definite diagnosis. Considering the possbility of malignancy, total gastrectomy with R2 curettage was performed. The operative specimen demonstrated a welldefined submucosal tumor at the lesser curvature of the upper gastric corpus, measuring 4.5×3.5×2.5cm, with bridging folds. Histopathologically, the tumor was found to be cellular leiomyoma of the stomach with no lymphnode metastasis. Postoperative course was uneventful.
It is now considered that cellular leiomyoma may derive from a multipotential gastric stromal stem cell that is capable of differentiating towards smooth muscle although its morphogenesis is not completely resolved. We should know the correct biologic behavior of cellular leiomyoma different from other smooth muscle tumors. The most popular and reliable thought is that the combination of an increased mitotic rate and large tumor size is indicative of malignant potential.
