Lung metastases and subsequent malignant transformation of a fumarate hydratase-deficient uterine leiomyoma

Abstract

Uterine leiomyomas, or fibroids, are very common smooth muscle tumors. Their potential to metastasize or transform into leiomyosarcomas is extremely low. Here, we report a patient who underwent hysterectomy due to a large leiomyoma and who was diagnosed with pulmonary tumors seven and nine years later. Histopathological re-evaluation confirmed the cellular leiomyoma diagnosis for the uterine tumor, whereas the pulmonary tumors met the diagnostic criteria of a leiomyosarcoma. Whole-exome sequencing revealed very similar mutational profiles in all three tumors, including a somatic homozygous deletion in a rare, but well-established leiomyoma driver gene FH. Tumor evolution analysis confirmed the clonal origin of all three tumors. In addition to mutations shared by all three tumors, pulmonary tumors harbored additional alterations affecting e.g. the cancer associated genes NRG1 and MYOCD. The second pulmonary leiomyosarcoma harbored additional changes, including a mutation in FGFR1. In global gene expression profiling, the uterine tumor showed similar expression patterns as other FH-deficient leiomyomas. Taken together, this comprehensive molecular data supports the occasional metastatic capability and malignant transformation of uterine leiomyomas. Further studies are required to confirm whether FH-deficient tumors and/or tumors with cellular histopathology have higher malignant potential than other uterine leiomyomas.