Leiomyosarcoma causes

Leimoyosarcoma is a malignant aggressive form of soft tissue sarcoma which can invlove muscle cells. Uterine leiomyosarcoma is a rare disease, involves uterine smooth muscle cells. Exact cause of leiomyosarcoma is not well understood but there is theory which finds leiomyosarcoma, arising from benign tumor of uterine smooth muscle, called leiomyoma. It is believed that it may arie denovo or due to genetic alterations.

Exact cause of leiomyosarcoma is not clearly unerstood, however following points are considered regarding causes:^[1][2][3]

• Studies revealed that the PI3K/AKT/mTOR, estrogen-mediated S-phase entry and DNA damage response signaling pathways, for which inhibitors have already been developed and approved, frequently harbored genetic changes.

• Although not proven but some reasearchers believes that it could be a malignant transformation of the fibroid (leiomyoma).
• It may arise denovo or can be due to the genomic instability but the molecular mechanism is not quite well endrstood.
• Over expression of the protooncogene C-myc is seen in some of the cases.
• Retinobalstoma gene discrepancies are also seen in 90% of cases.
• P16 chromosomal deletion causes loss of tumor suppression and so is involved in the development of leiomyosarcoma.
• P53 gene mutation is also frequently seen in uterine leiomyosarcoma.
• Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, in the setting of severe immunosuppression, has been associated with leiomyosarcomas.

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