LEIOMYOSARCOMA METASTATIC TO THE ORBIT - DIAGNOSIS BY FINE-NEEDLE ASPIRATION

A 47-yr-old man with history of metastatic low-grade rectal leiomyosar coma presented with progressive protrusion of his left eye due to an e nlarging orbital mass. The differential diagnosis included tumor metas tasis or orbital infection due to an unknown infectious agent. Diagnos tic fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of the orbit was performed on an urge nt basis to institute proper therapy and to save the patient's eyesigh t. Cytomorphologic examination of the material demonstrated a spindle- cell neoplasm consistent with metastatic leiomyosarcoma.It is a rare e vent for leiomyosarcoma to occur in the orbit. On our review of the li terature, the cytology of primary orbital leiomyosarcoma on FNA has on ly been reported once. To our knowledge, this is the first report of t he FNA cytomorphology of netastatic leiomyosarcoma to the orbit. (C) 1 997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.