A leiomyoma, also known as fibroids, is a benign smooth muscle tumor that very rarely becomes cancer (0.1%). They can occur in any organ, but the most common forms occur in the uterus, small bowel, and the esophagus. Polycythemia may occur due to increased erythropoietin production as part of a paraneoplastic syndrome. Uterine fibroids are
leiomyoma of the uterine smooth muscle. As other leiomyomata, they are benign, but may lead to excessive menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia), often cause anemia and may lead to infertility. A rare form of these tumors is uterine lipoleiomyoma—benign tumors consisting of a mixture of adipocytes and smooth muscle cells. Uterine lipoleiomyomata have been observed together with ovarian and other pathologies and some of them may develop into liposarcoma. These tumors are monoclonal, and non-random chromosomal abnormalities have been seen in 40% of the tumors. Mesenchymal
neoplasms of the gallbladder are rare and in particular leiomyomas of the gallbladder have been rarely reported, all of them in patients with
immune system disorders. Although, recently, a case was reported in absence of associated
immunodeficiency at Monash Hospital in Melbourne Australia in a healthy 39-year-old woman with no symptoms.
Leiomyoma is the most common benign mesenchymal
tumor of esophagus and second most common
benign tumor of the small bowel.
Relevant Topics in General Science
