From: Sharla Yates <sharla@mounet.com>
To: cancer@via-media.com <cancer@via-media.com>
Subject: Leiomyosarcoma
Date: Tuesday, October 06, 1998 4:03 PM

Kent-

I'm an 18-year-old female who was diagnosed with Leiomyosarcoma on
September 10, 1998. I noticed a bump on my lower back one day after I got
out of the shower. I thought it was an insect bite. When it grew rather
than going away I had my mom look at it. At this time it was about the size
of a BB; it was hard as a rock and purple in color. It bulged through my
skin. Mom called for an appointment with a dermatologist. By the time I saw
the doctor (a month later) it had grown the size of a marble with a long
ridge under the skin. The bump was still very hard, moveable, and purple.
The dermatologist removed the place on August 27, 1998 assuring us that it
was probably a harmless fatty tumor, and we had nothing to worry about. Two
weeks later (on September 10, 1998) when I returned to have my stitches
removed I found out the biopsy revealed the place was Leiomyosarcoma. I was
immediately sent to a surgeon, who scheduled my surgery four days later,
September 14, 1998. During those four days I had many diagnostic tests. On
September 14 I underwent a wide local excision on my lower back. The
surgeon removed a wide area of skin, soft tissue and shaved the underlying
muscle. When the biopsy came back from this excision it showed a small
amout of spindle cells were present, however there was a good clear margin
surrounding the area. The surgeon feels all of the cancer has been removed,
but he has left me with an 8-9 inch scar. I have a doctors appointment
tomorrow October 7, 1998 at the University of Virginia with an oncologist
to determine the need for possible chemotherapy or further evaluation.
Thank you very much for this web site. It really helps to read about people
who are going through this very rare type of cancer. Good luck and God
bless to everyone!

Sharla Yates
sharla@mounet.com