In most cases, the possibility of uterine sarcoma is suggested by certain symptoms. These symptoms do not specifically indicate that a woman has a uterine sarcoma. In fact, they are more often caused by noncancerous changes in the uterus, by pre-cancerous overgrowth of the endometrium, or by an endometrial carcinoma. Doctors use one or more tests to distinguish among these possibilities. Most carcinosarcomas and endometrial stromal sarcomas are diagnosed during evaluation of these symptoms.

Signs and Symptoms of Uterine Sarcomas

Bleeding or spotting: If you have gone through menopause, it is especially important to report bleeding or spotting to your health care professional. About 85% of patients diagnosed with uterine sarcoma have symptoms of postmenopausal bleeding or spotting (bleeding between periods). Although this can occur with benign (noncancerous) conditions such as hormonal imbalances and rarely with some infections, it is important to have an immediate medical evaluation of bleeding after menopause or unusual bleeding before menopause. Abnormal bleeding is more likely to be caused by carcinosarcomas or endometrial stromal sarcomas than by leiomyosarcomas.

Other discharge: About 10% of women with uterine sarcomas have a discharge without any visible blood. Although such discharges are usually a sign of some benign condition such as infection, absence of visible blood in a discharge does not mean cancer is absent. Any abnormal discharge should be investigated by your health care professional.

Pelvic pain and/or mass: About 10% of women have pain and/or a mass that can be felt at the time their uterine sarcoma is diagnosed. In other cases, you or your doctor can feel a mass in your uterus, or you have a feeling of "fullness" in your pelvis.