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Hereditas(Beijing) ›› 2024, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (8): 603-626.doi: 10.16288/j.yczz.24-132

• Review • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Molecular genetics and research progress of uterine leiomyosarcoma

Chenying Wang1,2,3(), Huiyin Xiao3,4(), Zhipeng Zhu3, Suya Zheng1,2, Liang Xu3,5(), Ye Chen1,2,5()   

  1. 1. Department of Surgical Oncology, Children's Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310052, China
    2. Pediatric Cancer Research Center, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou 310052, China
    3. Institute of Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
    4. Chu Kochen Honors College, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
    5. Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
  • Received:2024-05-08 Revised:2024-07-23 Online:2024-08-20 Published:2024-07-25
  • Contact: Liang Xu, Ye Chen E-mail:wangcary@zju.edu.cn;3210104172@zju.edu.cn;xuliang.phd@zju.edu.cn;chenyephd@zju.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China(32270746);National Natural Science Foundation of China(82203247);National Natural Science Foundation of China(82203415);Zhejiang Natural Science Foundation(LZ23C060002);Zhejiang Natural Science Foundation(LZ24H160004)

Abstract:

Uterine leiomyosarcoma (uLMS) is a type of malignant soft-tissue tumor, which is developed from myometrium in the female reproductive system. This disease is difficult to be distinguished from benign uterine leiomyoma in the early stages, but it progresses aggressively and relentlessly. Hence, uLMS has a dismal prognosis and high rates of both misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis. Unfortunately, current studies of uLMS pathogenesis and disease biology are inadequate. uLMS disease models are also very limited, hindering the development of effective therapeutics. In this review, we focus on the pathological molecular biology of uLMS, and systematically review the molecular genetic features, epigenetic variants, experimental models, and clinical research progress of uLMS. We further discuss the development direction and potential needs of uLMS in the fields of tumor evolution, tumor microenvironment, and tumor therapy, with the aim of providing a better understanding of the pathobiological mechanism of uLMS and providing a reference for the development of potential diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Key words: uterine leiomyosarcoma, genetic dysregulation, molecular pathology, cancer therapy, disease models