A 10-Year Experience of Leiomyosarcoma of the Inferior Vena Cava

Background: Leiomyosarcoma of the inferior vena cava (IVC) is rare. The study reviewed patients with IVC leiomyosarcoma in our hospital in the past ten years. Methods: 20 patients diagnosed with IVC leiomyosarcoma between October 2010 and October 2020 were enrolled. Their clinical manifestations, treatments and follow-up results were analyzed. Results: The sarcoma was located in the lower IVC segment in six patients, with 13 in the middle IVC segment and one in the upper IVC segment. The median tumor size was 8.5 cm (range 2.5-27.0). Except for two patients who underwent partial resection, other patients underwent R0 resection. After resection, 16 patients (80%) had primary repair of the IVC, while four patients underwent ligation. Three patients with tumors invading the renal vein but not the kidney underwent renal vein revascularization. There was no perioperative death. During a mean follow-up of 37.7 months, seven patients died due to tumor metastasis, four patients were alive with the tumor recurrence and other nine patients were alive without recurrence. Conclusion: The perioperative mortality was low. The management of the IVC after tumor resection depended on the tumor location and size. R0 resection provided a chance for long term survival.