Doctors for treatment of Leiomyosarcoma
Doctors for the treatment of leiomyosarcoma
Frequently Asked Questions
- Stage I-44-64%;
- II-III stages-19-53%;
- Stage IV — 8-39%.
- The presence of sarcoma in relatives;
- The effect of radiation therapy on the site of the tumor in the past;
- Immunodeficiency states (HIV, taking immunosuppressants);
- Belonging to the Negroid race;
- The presence of the RB mutation in patients with neuroblastoma.
The symptoms depend on which organ is affected by the disease.
In the case of leiomyosarcoma of the skin, the disease is characterized by a dense formation on the surface of the skin.
With leiomyosarcoma of the uterus, there are pulling pains in the uterus, uterine bleeding, discomfort during overeating or sex.
Leiomyosarcoma of the extremities can deform the limb due to its size and also cause pain.
Leiomyosarcoma of internal organs or blood vessels does not manifest itself in any way before the occurrence of bleeding, pain syndrome or disorders of the functions of organs and systems in the common stages.
In addition, there are common symptoms common to all leiomyosarcomas:
- Weight loss;
- Weakness;
- Apathy;
- Lack of appetite;
- Puffiness.
- Sarcomas are a special group of malignancies for which chemotherapy, like other types of special oncological treatment, is not used according to the approved procedure.
it is selected depending on the clinical situation. Therefore, the success of treatment largely depends on how experienced the doctor is. In this regard, many patients tend to get into the world’s sarcoma centers. - In the case of a sarcoma located on the skin and the risk of significant cosmetic defects or the need for organ-preserving surgery, it is of great importance to have a da Vinci robot that will allow surgical treatment with minimal tissue damage without loss of effectiveness.
- Leiomyosarcoma is a fairly rare formation, even among sarcomas. If you do not go to a specialized institution, you can get to a doctor who has never dealt with leiomyosarcomas.
- If leiomyosarcoma causes pain, the presence of modern linear accelerators and proton therapy will allow you to give significantly higher dosages of radiation therapy, which means to improve the prognosis and start narcotic analgesics later than in the CIS countries.
What are the current standards for the diagnosis and treatment of leiomyosarcoma
Dignostics
The primary diagnosis depends on the type of leiomyosarcoma. Leiomyosarcoma of the uterus can be suspected during vaginal examination or ultrasound of the pelvic organs, leiomyosarcoma of the skin during visual examination and dermatoscopy, leiomyosarcoma of the vessels — during ultrasound of soft tissues.
Further diagnosis includes CT with intravenous contrast of 3 zones — the chest, abdomen and pelvis. For leiomyomas located close to the vessels, MRI of one zone is also required, for vascular leiomyomas, angiography is additionally required. These methods allow you to get an idea of the size of the tumor, the state of the lymph nodes and the presence or absence of metastases.
Biopsy
Biopsy is the main method of diagnosing leiomyosarcoma. In this case, the doctor takes a piece of tumor tissue in order to examine it under a microscope and draw conclusions about the degree of malignancy of the formation, determine the treatment plan and find out the prognosis of the disease. In some cases, in addition to studying under a microscope, the doctor also conducts a molecular genetic study of the material taken in order to prescribe a more effective treatment.
The method of taking a biopsy depends on the location of the tumor — for formations in the uterus, this is most often a hysteroscopy, for formations in the abdominal cavity, a small laparoscopic operation is usually required, a biopsy from many formations can be taken with a special manipulator under the control of CT. Experienced doctors choose the best method depending on the patient’s clinical situation.
Treatment
The main method of treatment is surgical. The tumor is removed within healthy tissues, if it is a leiomyosarcoma of the uterus, often with the uterus and ovaries.
Radiation therapy-usually performed in the form of brachytherapy. Remote radiation therapy is effective for tumor sizes of 8 cm or more when prescribed before surgery, as well as for the occurrence of pain and the appearance of metastases.
Chemotherapy-usually ineffective in leiomyosarcoma. Doctors use this method either in combination with brachytherapy or in common stages of the disease.
