Uterine leiomyomas: Mechanisms of tumorigenesis

Uterine leiomyomas. also called fibroids. are the most common reproductive tract neoplasm and the leading indication for hysterectomy In premenopausal women. The discovery and development of medicinal therapies for uterine le iomyoma have been hampered by a lack of understanding regarding the etiolog y and molecular mechanisms underlying the development of these lesions. Alt hough the estrogen responsiveness of uterine leiomyoma is well established, the impact of environmental estrogens and their contribution to the develo pment of these tumors is currently unknown. The Eker rat model of uterine l eiomyoma has proven useful for addressing these issues and understanding th e pathophysiology of this disease. The Eker rat is the only animal model th at develops spontaneous uterine leiomyomas, and these tumors share many cha racteristics with those found in humans. The availability of tumor-derived cell lines from these rats has made this a valuable in vitro/in vivo model system for experimental studies to investigate molecular mechanisms of dise ase and to design interventional and preventative strategies for this clini cally relevant tumor.