PULMONARY-ARTERY TRUNK LEIOMYOSARCOMA

Pulmonary artery leiomyosarcomas are rare tumors. They cause symptoms suggestive of recurrent pulmonary emboli. As in the case reported here , the diagnosis is virtually never considered initially, despite moder n diagnostic imaging methods, but usually made at autopsy or at histol ogic examination of material removed from the pulmonary artery at surg ery. The prognosis remains poor and prolongation of life up to 6 month s has not been clearly demonstrated with radical excision in conjuncti on with radiotherapy. The difficulty is the accurate diagnosis require d to consider these tumors for curative resection, which is the only h ope for a longer disease-free course.