An Uncommon Site of Cutaneous Leiomyoma on the Heel of the Foot

Abstract

Leiomyomas are common benign tumours of smooth muscles, often occurring in the uterine muscle wall. These growths usually appear during a woman’s reproductive years and are not malignant. Leiomyomas are quite common and impact a large percentage of women worldwide. Occasionally, leiomyomas can be located in the extremities and cause pain due to compression effects. Typically, foot leiomyomas appear as a lump or mass in the soft tissue of the foot that grows slowly. They are normally painless, but pain or discomfort occurs when the growth affects or compresses the surrounding tissues or nerves. Although the precise cause of leiomyomas is unknown, it is thought that hormone changes, genetics, and other unidentified factors play a role in their incidence. Cutaneous leiomyomas are most often benign, and surgical removal can benefit patients in terms of pain management or symptom relief. Leiomyomas of the foot are uncommon. The present case report illustrates the clinical, radiographic, and pathological findings of a rare subcutaneous leiomyoma in the foot. The authors present the case of a 50-year-old woman who visited the Outpatient Department (OPD) complaining of swelling over the back of her left heel. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the ankle depicted the characteristics of the swelling, which was confirmed as leiomyoma through Immunohistochemical (IHC) tumour markers {Haematoxylin and Eosin (H&E)}. The lesion was surgically excised, and histopathology of the excised sample revealed leiomyoma.

Keywords

• benign tumours
• medial malleolus
• soft-tissue tumour