There is not a definite cause for the development of the disease, but one that was hypothesized is that it originates from a blood vessel tissue and smooth muscle fiber residue in an embryo. Imaging and histopathological examination is used for diagnosis of the disease. Furthermore, treatment of the disease is to surgically remove the tumor.Vulvar Leiomyomas are one the most prominent types of genital leiomyomas. Lesions to the vulva may be up to 15 cm in length and they are reported to be acutely painful. Enlargement of these leiomyomas may occur during pregnancy. Scrotal
Scrotal leiomyoma is considered to be an extremely rare type of genital leiomyoma. Because leiomyomas in the scrotum are usually painless and slowly grows over time, there is a delay in physician referral, with an average of 6–7 years. Physician referral usually occurs when people notice their testicles growing and getting heavier. A review of 11,000 cases of benign and malignant tumors of the scrotum found 11 cases of scrotal leiomyoma. Scrotal leiomyomas can affect males of any age and race, but are more common in Caucasians from the ages of 40-60. The tumor in the scrotum has an average diameter of 6.4 cm. Signs and symptoms
People with leiomyoma can be presented as asymptomatic, or having no symptoms. However, some people may experience severe symptoms that can interfere with daily activities. Common symptoms are recurrent pain and pressure in the affected region. People with uterine leiomyoma can experience pain during urination, bowel movements, and sexual intercourse.
Of those with uterine leiomyomas, 29% result in hospitalizations. One-third of patients with these fibroids experience life-threatening anemia, a condition where the body does not have enough oxygen due to lack of red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body. These tumors are mainly treated by performing hysterectomies, a procedure in which the uterus is removed, and account for approximately 40-60% of all performed hysterectomies. Symptoms are dependent on the location of the tumor, which may occur in the submucosal (under the mucous membranes and lines the inner part of some organs), intramural (within the walls of the organs), or subserosal areas (under the serosa and lines the outer part of some organs). Nipple-areolar
Nipple-Areolar leiomyoma is a rare type of genital leiomyoma. It presents as either unilateral or bilateral growth of benign tumor of the smooth muscle that can be painful, tender, and inflamed. They are typically less than 2 cm in length. Since this is an extremely rare tumor, with only 50 cases reported in literature, it often only reported to physicians due to chronic nipple pain. Vaginal
Vaginal paraurethral leiomyoma is another type of genital leiomyoma that is also less common compared to other types of leiomyoma. It presents as a benign tumor of the smooth muscle in the genitourinary tract, which includes urinary and genital organs, that can grow rapidly during pregnancy. On the other hand, the tumor tend to decrease in size upon menopause. This may be due to the growth of tumor that is dependent on hormones.