We have analyzed 57 cases of sarcomas occurring in the gastrointestinal tract, which was diagnosed in the department of pathology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, during the period of 13 years from 1960 to 1972. The sex ratio of the male to female was 1. 7 : 1 in total cases but the leiomyosarcoma showed more high incidence in male.
The average of total cases was 40.6 years old and the malignant lymphoma occurred in the younger age group comparing with leiomyosarcoma. In the clinical symptoms, abdominal pain, indigestion, palpable mass and weight loss were significant.
The sarcomas of the gastrointestinal tract consisted of 41 cases of lymphoma, 13 cases of leiomyosarcoma, 2 cases of Kaposi´s sarcoma and 1 case of fibrosarcoma.
The reticulum cell sarcoma was the most common subgroup of the lymphoma in the gastrointestinal tract.
Among the total 57 cases 22 cases occurred in the small intestine that was the most frequent site of the sarcoma in the gastrointestinal tract.
The stomach was the most frequent site for the leiomyosarcoma in this study, while the lymphoma
had predilection areas in the stomach and small intestine, especially the ileum.
In conclusion although the sarcoma was far less common than carcinoma that frequently arose in
the stomach and large bowel, the sarcoma was more frequent in the small bowel than the other sites.
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