{"paper_id":"4f81fa17-e4db-4d48-8232-143f204e1681","body_text":"Summary\nEndometriosis is an extremely common gynaecological disease, affecting between 1 and 5% of women of reproductive age. Women with endometriosis typically present for medical care with one of more of the following problems: pelvic pain, infertility, or a large adnexal mass (an endometrioma). The primary treatment for an endometrioma is surgical. However, long term postoperative hormone therapy may be necessary to prevent new endometriomas from developing. There is no evidence that hormonal therapy of endometriosis will improve fecundability in women with endometriosis and infertility. Pelvic pain due to endometriosis can be successfully treated with hormonal agents in the majority of patients.\nFour basic hormonal regimens are currently available for the treatment of endometriosis: (a) danazol; (b) gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) [luteinising hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH); gonadorelin] agonists; (c) progestérones (progestins); and (d) combined estrogens and progesterones. Randomised, controlled, clinical trials suggest that danazol and the GnRH agonists are equally effective in the treatment of endometriosis. However, the side effects caused by danazol and the GnRH agonists are markedly different. Danazol produces androgenic side effects including weight gain, hirsutism, acne, oily skin and deepening of the voice. GnRH agonists produce side effects due to hypoestrogenism, including hot flushes, osteoporosis and dry vagina. 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Steroid receptor levels and histology of endometriosis and adenomyosis. Fertility and Sterility 31: 396–400, 1979\nAuthor information\nAuthors and Affiliations\nRights and permissions\nAbout this article\nCite this article\nBarbieri, R.L. Endometriosis 1990. Drugs 39, 502–510 (1990). https://doi.org/10.2165/00003495-199039040-00003\nPublished:\nIssue date:\nDOI: https://doi.org/10.2165/00003495-199039040-00003","source_license":"CC0","license_restricted":false}