Research Progress in Endometriosis Treatment

Endometriosis, a chronic and estrogen-dependent benign disease which is defined as the endometrium tissue with glands and stroma located abnormally in any other tissue out of uterus, affects women in the reproductive age. Its clinical features include dysmenorrhea,chronic pelvic pain, infertility and menstrual disorder, which have finally negative effects on the quality of life. However, the exact pathogenic mechanisms have not been entirely clarified. Conventional medical therapies often have only modest success and numerous side effects;the recurrence rate of surgical therapy is relatively high. With the research progress in the last decades,it is pointed out that endometriosis is a complicated multifactorial syndrome. New concepts of endometriosis treatment include antiproliferative and antiangiogenic agents,anti-inflammatory drugs,selective estrogen receptor agonists, and the potential application of stem cells. As for those endometriosis-associated infertilities, the in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer is currently the most effective treatment.