Leiomyosarcoma (LMS)

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Stages

Staging describes the extent of the cancer. There is not one staging system for every leiomyosarcoma because the staging system depends in part on where the cancer started.

For LMS, the stage may be based on:

  • The tumor's size and location.
  • Whether cancer has reached nearby lymph nodes.
  • Whether cancer has spread to a distant part of the body.
  • The tumor grade.

Your care team may describe LMS as stage 1, 2, 3 or 4. Ask what the stage means, whether the cancer has spread and how the stage affects treatment. Depending on the staging system, stage 4 may mean the cancer has grown into nearby organs or spread to a distant part of the body.

Cancer that has spread from where it started to another part of the body is called metastatic cancer. LMS often spreads through the blood. The lungs are a common site. The liver and other areas also can be involved.

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Diagnosis & treatmentSurvival rates
Aug. 29, 2026

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  14. Testing the addition of an anti-cancer drug, abemaciclib, to the usual chemotherapy treatment (gemcitabine) for soft tissue sarcoma. ClinicalTrials.gov. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06498648. Accessed Aug. 17, 2026.
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  16. Medical review (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic. Aug. 25, 2025.

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Leiomyosarcoma (LMS)