What is the Difference Between Leiomyosarcoma and Rhabdomyosarcoma

The key difference between leiomyosarcoma and rhabdomyosarcoma is that leiomyosarcoma is a type of sarcoma that normally develops in smooth muscle cells, while rhabdomyosarcoma is a type of sarcoma that normally develops in skeletal muscle cells.

Sarcoma is a broad group of cancers that develop in the bones and in the soft tissues. They are rare cancers developing in the bones and soft tissues, such as fat tissue, muscles, blood vessels, nerves, deep skin tissues, and fibrous tissues. Some well-known examples are leiomyosarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, angiosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP), epithelioid sarcoma, Ewing’s sarcoma, and liposarcoma.

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Leiomyosarcoma
3. What is Rhabdomyosarcoma
4. Similarities – Leiomyosarcoma and Rhabdomyosarcoma
5. Leiomyosarcoma vs. Rhabdomyosarcoma in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Leiomyosarcoma vs. Rhabdomyosarcoma

What is Leiomyosarcoma?

Leiomyosarcoma is a rare cancer that grows in smooth involuntary muscles usually found in the stomach, bladder, uterus, intestine, and blood vessels. It generally affects both men and women, with a higher incidence among women and a greater prevalence in individuals over the age of 50. Moreover, the signs and symptoms of this condition may include pain, tiredness, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, weight loss, fever, a lump under the skin, loss of appetite, black stools, vaginal discharge, frequent urination, and abnormal vaginal bleeding. Leiomyosarcoma can be caused by hereditary or acquired gene changes, past radiation therapy, and exposure to certain chemicals such as weed killers and pesticides.

Leiomyosarcoma vs Rhabdomyosarcoma in Tabular Form

Figure 01: Leiomyosarcoma

Leiomyosarcoma is diagnosed through physical symptoms evaluation, CT scan, MRI, PET scan, and angiography. Furthermore, leiomyosarcoma is treated through surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.

What is Rhabdomyosarcoma?

Rhabdomyosarcoma is a rare cancer that forms in the soft tissue. It specifically affects skeletal muscle tissue or sometimes hollow organs such as the bladder, uterus, and reproductive organs such as the vagina and testes. Rhabdomyosarcoma can occur at any age, but it is more common in children. Moreover, symptoms of rhabdomyosarcoma may include headache, bulging or swelling of the eyes, bleeding in the nose, throat, or ears, trouble urinating, blood in the urine, difficulties in bowel movement, a mass or bleeding in the vagina or rectum, swelling or lump in the arms or leg, and pain in the affected area. Hereditary genetic changes are the cause of Rhabdomyosarcoma. The likelihood of getting this condition increases with family history and having genetic syndromes such as neurofibromatosis 1, Noonan syndrome, Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, and Costello syndrome.

Leiomyosarcoma and Rhabdomyosarcoma - Side by Side Comparison

Figure 02: Rhabdomyosarcoma

Rhabdomyosarcoma can be diagnosed through physical examination, X-ray, CT scan, MRI scan, PET scan, bone scan, needle biopsy, and surgical biopsy. Furthermore, treatment options for rhabdomyosarcoma may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy.

What are the Similarities Between Leiomyosarcoma and Rhabdomyosarcoma?

Leiomyosarcoma and rhabdomyosarcoma are two different types of sarcomas.
Both sarcomas are very rare.
They can be aggressive.
Hereditary changes can cause both.
Both sarcomas can be diagnosed through physical examination and imaging tests.
They can be treated through surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.

What is the Difference Between Leiomyosarcoma and Rhabdomyosarcoma?

Leiomyosarcoma is a type of sarcoma that normally develops in the smooth muscle cells, while rhabdomyosarcoma is a type of sarcoma that normally develops in the skeletal muscle cells. Thus, this is the key difference between leiomyosarcoma and rhabdomyosarcoma. Furthermore, leiomyosarcoma is more common in women and people over age 50, while rhabdomyosarcoma is more common in children.

The infographic below presents the differences between leiomyosarcoma and rhabdomyosarcoma in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – Leiomyosarcoma vs. Rhabdomyosarcoma

Sarcomas commonly occur in the muscle, fat tissue, blood vessels, nerves, tendons, and the lining of the joints. Leiomyosarcoma and rhabdomyosarcoma are two different types of sarcomas. Leiomyosarcoma is a rare cancer that grows in the smooth involuntary muscles, usually found in the stomach, bladder, uterus, intestine, and blood vessels. Rhabdomyosarcoma is a rare cancer that grows in the skeletal muscle tissue or sometimes in the hollow organs such as the bladder, uterus, and reproductive organs such as the vagina and testes. So, this summarizes the difference between leiomyosarcoma and rhabdomyosarcoma.