What is Uterine Sarcoma Cancer?

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Uterine sarcoma cancer is a rare type that begins in the muscle or other tissues of the uterus. Most often, it can be found in women who have completed menopause.

There are basically two types of uterine sarcoma cancer: (1) leiomyosarcoma (cancer that begins in smooth muscle cells); and (2) endometrial stromal sarcoma (it begins in connective tissue cells).

It seems that the greatest risk factor for developing this type of cancer is exposure to x-rays. If a woman has had radiation therapy to the pelvic area, her risk for developing uterine sarcoma cancer is increased significantly.

Women who have taken the drug tamoxifen for breast cancer are also at a much higher risk for developing the disease. Women who have taken this drug need to have regular pelvic examinations and report any abnormal bleeding to their doctors immediately.

Now, it is very important to know that every growth in the uterus after menopause is NOT cancerous. There are many, many more benign (noncancerous) growths than malignant ones diagnosed every year.

There is also treatment for uterine sarcoma cancer. Like all cancer, the earlier it is diagnosed, the better the chances are that the patient will make a full recovery. It is classified into four stages. The first stage is the mildest form that is confined to the uterus itself. The fourth stage means that the cancer cells have spread beyond the pelvic area.

There are four basic treatments for uterine sarcoma cancer; surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy. The most frequently used beginning treatment for uterine sarcoma cancer is surgery, and even if the surgeon removes all visible cancer cells, surgery is most often followed by chemotherapy and radiation therapy in an attempt to kill cancer cells that the surgeon didn't remove.