Leiomyosarcoma is a rare type of malignant tumor that affects the soft tissues, that is, it can appear in the uterus, mainly in women in the post-menopausal period, gastrointestinal tract and in the blood vessels.
This type of sarcoma is severe and tends to spread easily to other organs, which makes treatment more complicated. It is important that people who have been diagnosed with leiomyosarcoma are monitored by the doctor on a regular basis to check the progress of the disease.
Main symptoms
Usually, in the initial phase of leiomyosarcoma, no signs or symptoms are noticed, appearing only during the development of sarcoma and depend on the place where it occurs, size and whether or not it spread to other parts of the body.
The symptoms are mostly nonspecific, with fatigue, fever, weight loss, nausea and general malaise. In addition, swelling and pain can be noticed in the region where leiomyosarcoma develops, in addition to specific symptoms of the site that occurs, such as gastrointestinal bleeding, abdominal discomfort, presence of blood in the stool and vomiting with blood, for example.
Leiomyosarcoma tends to spread quickly to other parts of the body, such as the lungs and liver, which can lead to serious complications and make treatment difficult, which is usually done with surgery. Therefore, it is important that the person goes to the doctor as soon as signs or symptoms suggestive of this type of tumor appear.
Leiomyosarcoma in the uterus
Leiomyosarcoma in the uterus is one of the main types of leiomyosarcoma and they occur more frequently in women in the post-menopausal period, being characterized by a palpable mass in the uterus that grows over time and that can cause pain or not. In addition, changes in menstrual flow, urinary incontinence and increased abdominal volume can be seen, for example.
Diagnosis of leiomyosarcoma
The diagnosis of leiomyosarcoma is difficult, since the symptoms are nonspecific. For this reason, the general practitioner or oncologist requests the performance of imaging tests, such as ultrasound or tomography, in order to verify any alteration in the tissue. If any changes suggestive of leiomyosarcoma are observed by the doctor, the doctor may indicate that a biopsy should be performed to check for the malignancy of the sarcoma.
Understand how sarcomas are diagnosed.
How is the treatment
Treatment is done mainly by removing surgery from the leiomyosarcoma, and removal of the organ may be necessary if the disease is already at a more advanced stage.
Chemotherapy or radiotherapy is not indicated in the case of leiomyosarcoma, as this type of tumor does not respond very well to this type of treatment, however the doctor may recommend this type of treatment before performing the surgery in order to decrease the multiplication rate of tumor cells, delay spreading and make it easier to remove the tumor.
