Re: Article in April More magazine

[Guest guest]

What did the article say......my curiosity has gotten the best of me

> Has anyone read the article in April 2004, more magazine on

Fibroid / Leiosarcoma?

[Guest guest]

> Has anyone read the article in April 2004, more magazine on Fibroid

/ Leiosarcoma?

>

> Scary!

Minna,

I finally found a copy of MORE magazine for April and read the story

on leiomyosarcoma. It was probably one of the most even-handed pieces

I've read in the public domain thus far and, overall, was well written

too. Kudos to Cyndi Bunge for telling her story and

Ross-Flanigan for writing it with calm strokes and tremendous

compassion, no doubt borne out of her own battles with cancer three

times over in her own lifetime.

My greatest concern, however, is women will overlook the statistics

(clearly detailed in the story) of this occurring 1 in 160,000 women

and all rush to the hysterectomy option " just to be certain " that any

potential cancer is caught.

My other concern is that the oncologist consulted for this story from

MD seemed to be completely unaware of fibroid growth studies

showing rapid growth NOT to be a predictor of ULMS as well as the

combined serum/MRI studies completed/published which have been able to

differentiate with 100% success a leiomyosarcoma from a degenerating

fibroid.

Dr. Kazuro Sugimura stated in 1992 that MRI could potentially

differentiate a leiomyosarcoma from a benign uterine fibroid and then

subsequently proved it so in a study he contributed to and published

on in 2002. It would seem, however, that this information was

published in an oncology journal and NOT in any sort of radiology

journal and radiologists are, therefore, relatively ignorant of this

study and outcome. Interventional radiologists performing UFE are

also relatively unaware of the diagnostic protocol outlined by

Sugimura et al in the following paper:

Usefulness of Gd-DTPA contrast-enhanced dynamic MRI and serum

determination of LDH and its isozymes in the differential diagnosis of

leiomyosarcoma from degenerated leiomyoma of the uterus.

Goto A, Takeuchi S, Sugimura K, Maruo T.

Int J Gynecol Cancer. 2002 Jul-Aug;12(4):354-61.

So, a copy of this paper combined with the following paper is being

mailed out today to Dr. Lois Ramondetta at MD in Texas and

Dr. Pellegrino of Montefiore Medical Center in New York City

in the hopes that it will add to their own current body of knowledge

on this subject:

Uterine sarcoma in patients operated on for presumed leiomyoma and

rapidly growing leiomyoma.

WH, Fu YS, Berek JS.

Obstet Gynecol. 1994 Mar;83(3):414-8.

Over the years, I've read a very high number of uterine cancer scare

stories that totally misrepresented the risks and the facts,

especially as they relate to uterine fibroids. This story was NOT one

of them. My heart goes out to Cyndi and her family as she continues

to struggle with this disease and I wish her well. I don't believe it

was her or the author's intent to panic anyone into a hysterectomy.

Rather, to educate the public on this very rare disease and the lack

of funding for yet another uterine condition.

The oncologists quoted, on the other hand, should know the research

and be able to speak more evenly to the entire body of research on

this subject. It's a nice thought, anyway. Well, caring for a great

many cancer patients, day in and day out, doesn't always leave time

for reading and knowing about all of the research so, even here,

latitude must be granted to the physicians quoted in this piece.

Along with providing them copies of the above mentioned papers, that

is, so when they are quoted next it is with greater comprehensive

knowledge.

Carla Dionne