tumors is 1.6%-11% at autopsy [1,2] . The majority of patients with pancreatic metastasis have widespread diseases. Isolated, potentially resectable pancreatic metastasis is detected infrequently. Therefore, resection of metastatic tumors of the pancreas has been occasionally reported, and its role in improving the survival or quality of life is not clearly defined [3,4] . However, some recent studies have reported that surgical resection can be performed in selected patients with isolated pancreatic metastases, achieving long-ter m sur vival and good palliation [1,5] . We report here a case of pancreatic metastatic from leiomyosarcoma of the right anterior thigh, which was treated by surgical resection, and review the literature about pancreatic metastasis.
CASE REPORTA 66-year-old woman was referred to our hospital with a mass in the right thigh (Figure 1). In September 2005, she had undergone surgical resection for this mass. Malignant mesenchymoma (70% osteosarcoma and 30% leiomyosarcoma) was diagnosed histologically. In the postoperative period, abdominal computed tomography (CT) identified a pancreatic mass. The patient complained of non-specific abdominal discomfort. Laboratory findings were all within normal limits. The levels of the tumor markers including carcinoembryonic agent and carbohydrate antigen 19-9, were within the normal ranges. Abdominal CT revealed a mass at the head of the pancreas. Magnetic resonance imaging of the abdomen showed a low-intensity mass on T1-weighted images and a non-homogeneous high-intensity mass on T2-weighted images. No evidence of other distant metastases was seen (Figure 1). At laparotomy, a fixed mass of 4 cm or so in length was palpated at the head of the pancreas, displacing the surrounding duodenum. Therefore, pyloruspreserving pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed. Macroscopic examination of the operative specimen showed a 4 cm × 3 cm lobulated solid mass with a thin wall. Microscopic examination revealed a malignant neoplasm with predominance of spindle cells. The tumor cells were immunoreactive for desmin. Metastatic leiomyosarcoma was diagnosed histologically (Figure 2). The postoperative course was uneventful. We recommended systemic chemotherapy to the patient, but she declined. Nine months after the first pancreatic resection, a followup abdominal CT showed development of a new 1-cm mass in the remnant tail of the pancreas (Figure 1). Distal In the postoperative period, a pancreatic mass was identified radiologically by abdominal computed tomography. Pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed. The surgical specimen revealed leiomyosarcoma metastasized to the pancreas. A metastatic nodule on the remnant pancreatic tail was discovered 9 mo after the first pancreatic resection, and distal pancreatectomy was performed. Cases of pancreatic metastasis from leiomyosarcoma are extremely rare, especially when the tumor was resectable. We report here a unique case of pancreatic metastasis from a leiomyosarcoma in the right thigh that had been treated su...