Leiomyosarcoma epidemiology and demographics

Leiomyosarcoma is one the most common types of soft tissue sarcoma. Sarcomas of the uterine cervix constitute less than 1% of all cervical malignancies. Although leiomyosarcoma is one of the most common non-epithelial malignant neoplasms arising in soft tissue and somatic organs, while arising from the uterine cervix is extremely rare. Annual incidence of leiomyosarcomas is approximately 0.4 to 0.64 per 100,000 women in the United States, which is increasing in postmenopausal women, usually after age 50.

• Leiomyosarcoma is an aggressive soft tissue sarcoma which accounts for 1% of all uterine malignancies, but contributes to a significant proportion of uterine cancer deaths.
• The incidence of uterine LMS is 0.36 per 100,000 woman-years in the United States; mostly occur in women over 40 years of age, with incidence increasing rapidly after age 50.^[1]
• Black women have a 2-fold higher incidence than white women.
• LMS may be associated with obesity and diabetes.
• Tamoxifen use for N5 years may also increase LMS risk to 17 per 100,000 woman-years.^[2]
• Additionally, studies in soft tissue sarcoma have attributed an increased risk of LMS with p53 gene mutations, radiation treatment for childhood cancers, and germ line mutations in fumarate hydratase (hereditary leiomyomatosis with renal cell carcinoma) ^[3]
• Most uterine LMS is unassociated with preexisting leiomyomas and no biologic evidence exists to link LMS with their benign, smooth muscle uterine tumors. ^[4]

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