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Radiation‐induced leiomyosarcoma of the great vessels presenting as superior vena cava syndrome
Author(s) -
Weiss Kenneth S.,
Zidar Bernard L.,
Wang Scott,
Magovern George J.,
Raju Robert N.,
Lupetin Anthony R.,
Shackney Stanley E.,
Simon Sheryl R.,
Singh Madhuri,
Pugh Reginald P.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(19870915)60:6<1238::aid-cncr2820600613>3.0.co;2-v
Subject(s) - medicine , leiomyosarcoma , superior vena cava syndrome , radiology , mediastinum , superior vena cava , magnetic resonance imaging , radiation therapy , surgery
A patient with a pleomorphic intravascular leiomyosarcoma of the great vessels of the neck and mediastinum presented clinically with a superior vena cava syndrome. A latent period of 29 years elapsed between receiving orthovoltage radiation to the neck and right side of chest to treat recurrent ganglioneuroblastoma, and the appearance of a leiomyosarcoma and subsequent recurrences. The patient underwent partial resection of the tumor, received adjunct chemotherapy, and was shown to be free of disease by clinical tests and by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) 17 months after completion of chemotherapy. The criteria for the diagnosis of radiation‐induced sarcomas are reviewed in relation to the present case. The critical role of magnetic resonance imaging in both the diagnosis and continued follow‐up of the patient is described. This would appear to be the first reported case of radiation‐induced intravascular leiomyosarcoma of the great vessels of the neck and mediastinum presenting as a superior vena cava syndrome.