Perineal leiomyoma in a postmenopausal woman: A case report

Abstract

Leiomyomas in the female reproductive system are commonly located in the uterus and typically regress following the menopause. Vulval leiomyomas are rare, and to the best of our knowledge, perineal leiomyomas in postmenopausal women have not been previously reported in the literature. The present case describes a 60-year-old Chinese woman who experienced perineal tenderness and lumbosacral radiating pain. The patient, who went through the menopause 12 years previously, had presented with a painful perineal mass for 1 year, which was subsequently diagnosed as a postmenopausal perineal leiomyoma. The mass was locally resected, and histopathological examination of the lesion resulted in a diagnosis of benign epithelioid leiomyoma. Immunohistochemical staining identified that the leiomyoma was positive for estrogen receptor and negative for progesterone receptor expression. The patient was followed up for 1 year and did not experience any pain or recurrence. The symptoms of local and lumbosacral radiating pain are extremely rare and may be induced by peripheral nerve stimulation. The etiology of postmenopausal perineal leiomyoma may be associated with infection, dietary, stress and environmental factors, and the role of estrogen cannot be overemphasized in cases of postmenopausal leiomyoma.