Putative precursors of uterine sarcomas

Objective: Uterine sarcomas are rare tumors that account for 3–7 % of uterine cancers. Currently, the definition and diagnosis of uterine sarcomas are largely based on the newly revised classification by the World Health Organization (WHO, 2014). The pathogenesis of uterine sarcoma remains largely unknown. This review summarizes the available clinical, pathological, and especially molecular findings for uterine sarcomas. Methods: Medline was searched for publications in English between 1980 and 2014. The publications which represent either a larger number of case series or typical morphologic and molecular studies for uterine sarcomas were reviewed and cited in this chapter. Conclusions: Each uterine sarcoma type has its own characteristic clinicopathological, prognostic, and specific molecular genetic alterations. Updated information and new insights into the molecular biology for tumorigenesis of uterine sarcoma are described and discussed.