Leiomyosarcoma

Also known as: leiomyosarcoma of soft tissue.

What are leiomyosarcoma?

Leiomyosarcoma is a very rare type of soft tissue cancer that affects the smooth muscles of the body. (Smooth muscles are muscles that contract without conscious control of the person. They are found in many organs of the body, like stomach and intestines and blood vessels).

In children these tumors are usually found in the gastrointestinal tract and frequently it's present for a long time before being discovered.

What causes leiomyosarcoma?

There appears to be a genetic component to the development of leiomyosarcoma, but the exact cause is not known.

What are the symptoms of leiomyosarcoma?

Symptoms of leiomyosarcoma can vary widely depending on what part of the body it affects, its size and whether it has spread or not. When it is small it may have no symptoms; later many children will have abdominal pain and swelling, nausea, vomiting, weight loss or (if the skin is involved) a visible mass under the skin.

What are leiomyosarcoma care options?

When possible, total surgical removal of the tumor and the surrounding tissue is the preferred treatment for leiomyosarcoma. Follow-up treatment with radiation therapy and chemotherapy is also typical especially if the cancer has spread beyond the original tumor site.


Reviewed by: Jack Wolfsdorf, MD, FAAP

This page was last updated on: June 28, 2022 02:21 PM

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