Is hormonal suppression efficacious in treating functional ovarian cysts?

We randomly assigned 95 women, age 17-55 (mean 36.5) with unilateral or bilateral ovarian cysts measuring 1.1 to 6.1 cm in greatest diameter, to four groups to determine the efficacy of hormonal suppression. Eleven did not complete the study, and 9 did not follow up, for a study population of 75. Of these 75, 29 women had a history of endometriosis and 12 were treated with ovulation induction within 6 months of inclusion. Group I (24), received no treatment and served as a control; Group II (15) took oral contraceptives (OCP) containing 35 &mgr;g ethinyl estradiol and 1 mg norethindrone; Group III (23) received OCP's with 50 &mgr;g ethinyl estradiol and 1 mg norethindrone; and Group IV (13) took danazol 800 mg/day. All medications were taken continuously for 6 weeks. Patients were then re-evaluated by pelvic examination and transvaginal ultrasound. If the cysts persisted, the patient was scheduled for diagnostic and possible operative laparoscopy. Complete resolution of cysts was found in: Group I - 14 (58%), Group II - 6 (40%), Group III - 15 (65%), and Group IV - 7 (54%). Of the 33 women with persistent cysts, 28 underwent videolaparoscopy. The results were as follows: Group I (42%) - five functional, two endometriomas, one hydrosalpinx, and one benign paraovarian serous cyst; Group II (60%) - three functional, one endometrioma, and one benign simple cyst; Group III (35%) - two functional, five endometriomas, and one loop of bowel; and Group IV (46%) - four functional and two endometriomas. The results, analyzed using the chi2 test, indicated that there is no significant difference between expectant management and hormonal suppression in treating functional ovarian cysts. A CA 125 was obtained on 48 women. Using the t-test, we compared values for cysts which persisted and those which did not. There was no correlation between CA 125 levels and persistence or resolution.