Uterine Sarcoma

Uterine sarcoma is a rare type of uterine cancer that forms in the uterine muscles or in the tissues that support the uterus. It should not be confused with endometrial cancer, which is a more common form of uterine cancer that develops when cancerous cells first form in the lining of the uterus. Symptoms of uterine sarcoma may include abnormal vaginal bleeding, a mass in the vagina, feelings of pain or fullness in the abdomen, and frequent urination. Treatment options for uterine sarcoma may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and hormone therapy.

 

Uterine Sarcoma: An Introduction

Uterine sarcoma is a rare type of cancer in which cancerous cells form in the uterine muscles or other tissues that support the uterus.
 

Understanding the Uterus and Uterine Sarcoma

The uterus is part of a woman's reproductive system that is located in the pelvis between the bladder and the rectum. The uterus is the hollow, pear-shaped organ where a baby grows. The narrow, lower portion of the uterus is called the cervix. Uterine sarcoma is a very rare kind of cancer that forms in the uterine muscles or in the tissues that support the uterus. Uterine sarcoma is different from endometrial cancer, a disease in which cancer cells start growing inside the lining of the uterus (endometrium).
 
(Click Uterine Cancer for more information about endometrial cancer.)
 

Uterine Sarcoma Risk Factors

No one knows the exact cause of uterine sarcoma, and doctors can seldom explain why one person will get uterine sarcoma and another person will not. However, it is clear that this disease is not contagious -- no one can "catch" uterine sarcoma from another person. Uterine sarcoma research has shown that people with certain risk factors are more likely than others to develop the disease. A risk factor is anything that increases a person's chances of developing a disease. An example of a risk factor for uterine sarcoma involves past treatment with radiation therapy to the pelvis.
 
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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD