Treatment advances for fibroids, menopauseMay 05, 2008Women with fibroids and endometriosis facing the possibility of hysterectomy may now choose less invasive treatment options to preserve fertility, according to Yale professor Aydin Arici, M.D., who will direct a scientific session exploring these alternatives at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Annual Clinical Meeting May 3-7 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Arici will chair the two-day postgraduate ACOG course "Current Topics in Reproductive Endocrinology for the Clinician." He joins colleagues in the Yale Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences as they lead other ACOG courses on menopause, managing post-term pregnancy, and managing patients with bleeding disorders during pregnancy. In his course, Arici will present treatment options for endometriosis and share novel conservative approaches for treating fibroids, the most common benign tumor seen in reproductive-age women and the leading cause of hysterectomy in the United States.
"Our goal is to educate general obstetricians on ways to tailor new treatment techniques to the needs of individual patients," said Arici. "For women in their 30s and 40s, preserving reproductive potential while treating fibroids is often desired. In the past, ovarian function was suppressed by inducing sudden menopause to shrink fibroids. Novel medications that were unavailable a few years back are now able to do so without unpleasant side effects." Arici said that conservative treatment options include a medical approach using selective estrogen receptor modulators and selective progesterone receptor modulators, uterine artery embolization, MRI-focused high-energy ultrasound, and conservative surgery using abdominal myomectomy, hysterectomy to remove the fibroids, but preserve the reproductive capacity of the uterus. Yale Ob/Gyn reproductive endocrinologist Lubna Pal's ACOG course will explore the biological, psychosocial and behavioral consequences of women's transition into menopause and the postmenopausal years. One of her goals is to help doctors understand the predictors of menopause, and the treatment needs of women who have undergone hysterectomies or oophorectomies. Errol Norwitz, M.D., will lead an interactive session on managing post-term or overdue pregnancies. He and his colleague will address issues such as the risks and benefits of routine induction of labor at 41 weeks gestation. Yale University | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Related Fibroids News Articles Fibroids common, but women have options Small fibroids located just beneath the lining of the uterus (submucosal) are more likely to move to the endometrial cavity after uterine artery embolization (UAE) but usually don't cause major complications, according to a new study. Major surgery no longer needed for the removal of uterine fibroids The treatment of uterine fibroids with 3T MR-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) is safe, non-invasive and effective, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, NY. Minimally invasive fibroid treatment fares well in multicenter trial A new multicenter trial found that uterine artery embolization (UAE) is a good alternative to hysterectomy in women with symptomatic fibroids. The findings of the Embolisation versus Hysterectomy (EMMY) Trial appear in the March issue of the journal Radiology. Mayo Clinic study finds focused ultrasound treatment of uterine fibroids long term symptom relief A noninvasive, outpatient treatment for noncancerous uterine tumors provides sustained relief from symptoms, according to a new Mayo Clinic led collaborative study. Focused ultrasound relieves fibroid symptoms in women A noninvasive ultrasound procedure effectively shrinks uterine fibroids and significantly relieves fibroid-related symptoms in women. Enhanced MR-guided focused ultrasound guidelines demonstrate improved efficacy and durability Data released today show that MR-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) is a more effective option for a broader population of uterine fibroid sufferers. MicroRNAs Can Be Tumor Suppressors University of Virginia researchers have discovered that microRNAs, a form of genetic material, can function as tumor suppressors in laboratory studies. MicroRNAs as tumor suppressors In the May 1st issue of G&D, Drs. Yong Sun Lee and Anindya Dutta (UVA) reveal that microRNAs can function as tumor suppressors in vitro. Chance of hysterectomy predicted by multi-year study A woman's chance of undergoing a hysterectomy can now be accurately predicted, according to new UCSF study findings. Rochester study rolls out RU-486 to treat uterine fibroids Low doses of the drug mifepristone shrink uterine fibroid tumors and greatly improve the quality of life in women who suffer from pain and heavy bleeding. More Fibroids News Articles |
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