Cancer, due to its widespread nature, has many methods of classification and diverse nomenclature. One example of this is the difference between a carcinoma and a sarcoma. Carcinomas are cancers that arise from epithelial cells, while sarcomas arise from cells of mesenchymal origin. This means they arise from connective tissue cells, such as the cartilage, fat, muscle, and vasculature. Blood cells are also included in this category.
One rare form of cancer is leiomyosarcoma. This is a malignant cancer of smooth muscle tissue that accounts for 10-20% of all soft tissue sarcomas. Since this type of tissue can be found nearly anywhere in the body, so can this type of tumor. More commonly, it is found in the small intestine, uterus, and stomach. Leiomyosarcomas are more unpredictable than most cancers and are generally resistant to treatment, such as chemotherapy and radiation. It can also remain dormant and recur for many years. Currently, the best method of treatment is surgery while the tumor is still small.
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