What is a Uterine Fibroid Tumor?
Fibroid tumors are benign (non-cancerous) growths that appear on the muscular wall of the uterus. They are the most common tumors of the female genital tract. You may hear them called other names like leiomyoma, leiomyomata, or myoma. They range in size from microscopic tumors to masses that fill the entire abdominal cavity. In some cases, fibroids can be as large as a 5-month pregnancy. Uterine fibroids can affect women of all ages but are most common in women ages 40 to 50. In most cases, there is more than one fibroid in the uterus. Fibroids consist of dense, fibrous tissue (hence the name “fibroid”) and are nourished and sustained by a series of blood vessels. Uterine fibroids cause different symptoms, depending on their number and where they are located in the uterus. There are three different classifications: intramural uterine fibroids, submucosal uterine fibroids and subserosal uterine fibroids. Intramural uterine fibroids are located in the wall of the uterus and are the most
