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Uterine leiomyomas are the benign smooth muscle cell neoplasms of the myometrium, develop in as many as 30% of women aged >35 years during the reproductive years and regress after menopause, indicating ovarian steroid and growth factor dependent growth potential. Most of the uterine cellular functions like cell proliferation, differentiation, angiogenesis and apoptosis are controlled by steroid hormones which mediate their action on target tissues by local production of growth factors acting via paracrine and/or autocrine mechanisms. Thus, indicating that growth factors and their receptors and signaling pathways plays a major role in growth, development and mediate many physiological functions. Derangement in the function of these molecules plays an important role in tumor progression. The present review discusses about the role of growth factors in uterine leiomyoma.
Keywords: Leiomyoma, Tumors, Extra cellular matrix, Angiogenesis, Apoptosis, Receptor Tyrosine Kinase.