Leiomyosarcoma

Leiomyosarcoma
Classification and external resources
Leiomyosarcoma of the adrenal vein. Coronal view of abdominal MRI. Tumor (arrow) extends from the superior pole of the right kidney to the right atrium.
ICD-10	C49.M48
ICD-O:	M8890/3
DiseasesDB	34362
eMedicine	med/1180
MeSH	D007890

Leiomyosarcoma (Gr. "smooth muscle connective tissue tumor"), aka LMS, is a malignant cancer of smooth muscle. (When such a neoplasm is benign, it is a leiomyoma.)

Leiomyosarcoma is a relatively rare form of cancer, and accounts for between 5–10% of soft tissue sarcomas, which are in themselves relatively rare. Leiomyosarcomas can be very unpredictable. They can remain dormant for long periods of time and recur after years. It is a resistant cancer, meaning generally not very responsive to chemotherapy or radiation. The best outcomes occur when it can be removed surgically with wide margins early, while small and still in situ.

Location

Smooth muscle cells make up the involuntary muscles, which are found in most parts of the body, including the uterus, stomach and intestines, the walls of all blood vessels, and the skin. It is therefore possible for leiomyosarcomas to appear at any site in the body (including the breasts); they are most commonly found in the uterus, stomach, small intestine and retroperitoneum.

Uterine leiomyosarcomas come from the smooth muscle in the muscle layer of the uterus. Cutaneous leiomyosarcomas derive from the pilo-erector muscles in the skin. Gastrointestinal leiomyosarcomas might come from smooth muscle in the GI tract or, alternatively, also from a blood vessel. At most other primary sites—retroperitoneal extremity (in the abdomen, behind the intestines), truncal, abdominal organs, etc—leiomyosarcomas appear to grow from the muscle layer of a blood vessel (the tunica media). Thus a leiomyosarcoma can have a primary site of origin anywhere in the body where there is a blood vessel.

Treatment

Surgery, with as wide a margin of removal as possible, has generally been the most effective and preferred way to attack LMS. If surgical margins are narrow or not clear of tumor, however, or in some situations where tumor cells were left behind, chemotherapy or radiation has been shown to give a clear survival benefit. While LMS tends to be resistant to radiation and chemotherapy, each case is different and results can vary widely.

Complementary methods (such as over-the-counter supplements) should always be discussed with one's doctor(s); some supplements can actually hinder treatments like chemotherapy.

Notable patients

Notable people who have had leiomyosarcoma include:

• Padma Atluri — Writer for Men In Trees, 90210 television series.
• Leicester City footballer Keith Weller who made over 300 appearances for the Foxes, scoring 47 goals. Also made 4 appearances for England, scoring 1 goal
• Katie Price (Jordan)
• Canadian public health physician Sheela Basrur (1956-2008), who developed uterine leiomyosarcoma in 2006.
• American actress Diana Sands.^{[citation needed]}
• Canadian comedian Irwin Barker, who was featured in a documentary, "That's my Time", which chronicled his battle with leiomyosarcoma. In Barker's own words. "Cancer has my body but not my spirit, and I'll continue to make jokes, not so much about cancer, but in spite of it."^{[citation needed]}
• E. J. McGuire Long time professional ice hockey coach, scout, and VP of the NHL Central Scouting Bureau

See also

• Uterine sarcoma

External links

• LMS leiomyosarcoma.info Comprehensive reference site for information on leiomyosarcoma
• National Leiomyosarcoma Foundation
• Leiomyosarcoma Direct Research Foundation
• CancerBackup
• Liddy Shriver Sarcoma Initiative
• Sloan Kettering website
• #2434 (Pathology images)
• Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors at eMedicine
• Live Leiomyosarcoma Video (Gupta Gastro Associates Unique Findings)