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News • Soft tissue cancer
Leiomyosarcoma: location matters
A rare, aggressive cancer, commonly found in the uterus, limbs and abdomen, behaves differently depending on where it is found in the body, according to new research.
Scientists studied cases of leiomyosarcoma – which affect smooth muscle cells, found in the walls of hollow organs like the stomach, intestines, uterus and blood vessels – and found major differences in patient outcomes between tumour sites. Leiomyosarcomas of the uterus, urinary tract and trunk had the poorest survival rates, compared with cancers of the limbs, head and neck, and male reproductive tract.
The findings, published in JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute, indicate that tumour location could provide clinically meaningful information on disease risk for those with leiomyosarcoma, beyond cancer stage and grade, experts say.
This information is critical for designing and interpreting future studies that seek to identify new treatment options for leiomyosarcoma patients
Robb Hollis
Leiomyosarcoma is the most common type of soft tissue sarcoma – cancer that starts in tissues such as muscle, fat, and blood vessels – but has limited treatment options and poor outcomes for many patients. It affects smooth muscle cells, also known as involuntary muscles, which cause organs to contract without conscious control. Although tumours can develop throughout the body, they are commonly grouped simply as uterine or non-uterine disease.
University of Edinburgh scientists studied 11,700 patients with the condition, providing the most comprehensive assessment to date of survival across leiomyosarcoma arising at different locations in the body. They also found that black patients, those from lower-income households, and widowed individuals experienced significantly poorer outcomes, highlighting the important contribution of socioeconomic factors to survival differences.
The study also identified differences in the underlying biology of tumours in different locations. For example, uterine tumours were more likely to have a specific genetic mutation compared with those found elsewhere in the body.
Clinical trials of leiomyosarcoma are often performed without accounting for where the cancer arises in the body. The findings suggest it may be important to account for tumour location when analysing studies of new therapies, experts say.
The results also provide evidence that leiomyosarcoma tumours at different anatomical sites are biologically distinct and could support the development of more personalised approaches to treatment and management of the condition, they add. "This study provides us with important knowledge about how leiomyosarcoma behaves differently depending on where it occurs in the body, both in terms of patient survival and the underlying biology of the disease," said Dr Robb Hollis, from the University's Institute of Genetics and Cancer. "This information is critical for designing and interpreting future studies that seek to identify new treatment options for leiomyosarcoma patients."
Dr Catherine Elliott, Cancer Research UK’s Director of Research, added: "This study shows why our investment into rare cancers is key. It highlights how research can uncover critical differences between tumours which is vital for developing more effective, personalised treatments for patients."
The study was led by researchers funded by Cancer Research UK and Sarcoma UK and is published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The research team also included scientists from the Edinburgh Cancer Centre, Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, and the University of Glasgow.
Source: University of Edinburgh
27.10.2026
